In the Sun
by timeywimeyspaceywacey
Summary: After leaving Cyrodiil, a young Imperial hoping for a calm life in Skyrim finds herself on the fast-track to thieving, assassinations, vampire-slaying, romance, and all manner of shenanigans. Features: Serana, Ralof, Jarl Balgruuf, Teldryn Sero, and Mercer Frey. Follows Dawnguard, Thieves Guild, and some Dark Brotherhood. OFC/Teldryn Sero.
1. Indis the Imperial

Indis carefully examined the man sitting on the settee in front of her, letting her eyes wander over his impressively large frame. He was speaking rather animatedly to her father, his fleshy jowls quivering with each spoken word. The man gestured wildly, his swollen sausage-like fingers waving, causing the rings on his fingers to glimmer in the light.

"Indis my dear, I hope you're looking forward to our upcoming wedding night…I know I certainly am," the man said in his disturbingly oily voice, leering at her like she was a prize-winning horker.

The thought of touching this corrupt wretch of a man, of him climbing onto her with and crushing her with his foul, sweaty naked body-

"Are you deaf, girl? Your betrothed asked you a question," her father spat, his eyes narrowing.

"Oh yes, father, quite so. I can't wait!" Indis purred demurely, smoothing out the silk fabric of her dress. She couldn't be more displeased about this forced arrangement, but in order for her and Anneke's plan to work, she needed to feign excitement in a most convincing manner. "I am feeling quite tired, though. I do believe all of this excitement is wearing me down. I think I'll retire for the night."

* * *

As Indis walked up the stairs to her room at the top of the tower, she kept trying to collect her thoughts in order to calm and ready herself. Tonight was the night.

Six months ago on her 18th birthday, her father had come to her and announced that he had arranged for her to marry some wealthy powerful lord, that this was going to help him get his business back on track. Her father was a merchant and before his caravans had been ransacked by bandits, he had done fairly well for himself, despite making his base in the seedy city of Bravil. His business had taken a hit, and by forcing her to marry this lord from the Imperial City, he had high hopes that this man's connections would help him regain a foothold in Cyrodiil.

Indis sighed, pushing the door to her chambers open.

"Where have you been? There's much to be done tonight, provided you still want to go through with this. We must not tarry, time is running out."

The speaker was Anneke, her wizened Redguard nursemaid. Indis' mother had died when she was young, and Anneke had raised her, becoming the young woman's best friend.

"Anneke, of course I still want to go through with it! I can't stay here, and I can't marry that horrible man. What do I need to do?"

Their plan had been in the works for months. As soon as Indis heard the news about her engagement, she had run to Anneke, only able to sob uncontrollably into the Redguard woman's shoulder. The older woman had silently held her for a good thirty minutes before softly offering to help her escape, if she wanted.

It was decided that just weeks before her wedding, she would fake her own death. Anneke had insisted that Indis fake excitement and happiness, pointing out that her controlling and abusive father would watch her like a hawk if he suspected anything was amiss. It had been difficult, but Indis had proven herself to be quite the convincing actress and a very smooth liar.

They had frequently discussed the manner of her 'death'. Indis had liked the idea of doing evening reading the library on the ground floor, with the window open to enjoy the night air. It would have been most unfortunate if some violent stranger had entered through the open window, to abduct her before brutally murdering her.

Anneke had found it to be a decent idea, but insisted that there needed to be a body, otherwise her father wouldn't buy it. He would come searching for her, believing her to have only run away.

Suicide it was.

* * *

The push over the tower balcony was all that was needed. Anneke had stealthily obtained everything Indis would need to make this a success. After insisting that she was in fact ready and still completely willing to go through with this, Anneke had ordered her to take off her fine silks and change into the ragged tunic her gnarled, calloused fingers held out. Her fingers deftly undid Indis' waist length hair, before slicing it off to her shoulders with a sharp dagger. The fake body needed hair, Anneke had said. Indis scrubbed all of the powder and rouge off her face, and pulled the tunic over her head.

Now, the matter of the body. Anneke had quietly purchased a large sow from the local butcher, and had cut it up as best she could to resemble a human female body. It wasn't perfect, no, it wasn't even close, but she had said that once it hit the stone after a long tumble, no one would be able to tell the difference.

The moment was now, once this was done, there would no turning back. They had stuffed the misshapen girl-pig body into the silk dress she had been wearing that evening, adorned it with the jewels that were previously draped around her neck, and used sticky tree sap to stick her hair to the 'head'.

After hauling the pig in the dress to the balcony, the two women stood there silently for a few moments before Indis gave a nod. Without any hesitation they sent it tumbling over the edge.

It had taken what seemed like an age before it had hit the ground with a sickening splat. Indis squinted at the mass on the stone below.

* * *

"Huh. I thought it would you know…explode more."

"No mind. I'll give it a good beating with a shovel so they can't quite tell. Believe me; no one will want to look too long. Now hurry, it's time for you to go."

After the balcony push, they hadn't wasted any time. Anneke had grabbed Indis' plan, and led her through the complex underbelly of her father's keep, taking care to avoid anyone seeing them. Anneke told her that this was a servant's entrance, and would put her directly on the streets of Bravil and that once she was out there, she should make her way to the docks at Niben Bay, to find a boat to take her to her next destination.

They had arrived at the small iron gate. The hour wasn't too late, so the streets were still fairly busy. Anneke held out a bag for Indis, motioning for her to take it.

"It's not too much, I know. There's a lot of coin, and a few plain silver and gold jewelry pieces that you can sell if you end up needing some more. Oh, and here's a dagger. It is my sincere hope that you won't need it, but just in case. This new path will be difficult, but I know you will persevere. I wish you the best, love. I hope we meet again under happier circumstances."

The woman who had been like a mother to her for the past 18 years of her life pulled her into a tight hug while Indis struggled to fight back tears. After their extended embrace, Indis pulled away. "I think it's time for me to go."

With that, she pushed open the gate to the streets of Bravil, and stepped out.

* * *

It hadn't taken her long to find the docks, or to find someone with a boat willing to take on a passenger. A kindly older gentleman had called out to her, asking her if she was looking for a boat to hire. It was a small craft, but he seemed quite capable. Plus, he hadn't charged that much.

Indis had clambered into the boat when she heard a voice call out.

"Hey, Orvarth! Before you leave, c'mere for a second!"

The little grey sailor sighed. "Just a moment lass, I'll be right back."

She had waited her entire life for this, she could wait a few more moments. Sitting down on one of the benches, Indis peered over the edge of the tiny boat, only to be greeted with a face that she barely recognized. Her slightly rich brown-red wavy, yet always unruly, hair now just barely touched her shoulders, something she was unaccustomed to. Her grey-green eyes scanned the water below her, soaking up what she looked like without being covered by makeup. She had fair skin for an Imperial, and this had only been helped by her father forcing her to stay indoors much of her life, declaring that the sun would only ruin her fair complexion. He had been incredibly displeased and surprised when stubborn little freckles cropped up over her entire face and had demanded she cover them with powder, deeming them unseemly. She bit her tiny, yet full, lower lip and smiled at her reflection.

It was strange, seeing herself like this, and Indis was entranced by the new person she saw below until a voice jerked her out of her reflective study.

"Sorry 'bout that! Now, you didn't tell me where you wanted to go."

Indis paused. She hadn't really thought about that very much.

_Where should I go? Black Marsh? Elsweyr? Skyrim? Valenwood?_

She briefly hesitated before voicing her decision.

"How close can you get me to Skyrim?"

* * *

**_Hello everyone, thanks so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed the prologue. This will mainly follow the Thieves Guild and Dawnguard questlines, with perhaps some other tidbits thrown in. With this particular character that I created, she didn't even find out she was Dragonborn until after completing several other factions, so that's how it'll be here. It will be mainly focused on adventure, friendship, and self-discovery, with a little bit of romance thrown in. Once again, I hope you enjoy. Please check out my other works, and leave some feedback on any particular quests or characters you'd like to see. Thanks! :D_**


	2. Things Aren't Going So Well

This had seemed like a much, much better when she was still within the stony confines of her father's manor in Bravil. Together she and Anneke had plotted her escape, often nestled in furs by the fireplace, happily munching on sweet rolls as she dreamed of glorious freedom. All of the effort had gone into planning the great escape, leaving little time or energy to focus on what would come after.

Everything had seemed much simpler in that tower.

Indis had set forth a few months ago, and had slowly made her way north to the icy, snow-dusted region of Skyrim. Her lack of foresight led her to learn the hard way that coin purses had a way of becoming empty rather quickly, thin cotton tunics became rather ragged quickly, and having little direction was only going to make matters worse.

All of these factors are what led Indis to her current position in some gods-forsaken jail cell. She hadn't a Septim to her name; her tunic had turned into rags, and she had turned to stealing to just barely scrape by.

Sighing, she turned over on her bedroll, her mind drifting to the most recent events that had led to her this horrible place. She had been in Skyrim for a few weeks in the southernmost reaches of the cold country that she later learned was the Rift. She had been trudging on for what seemed like eternity, walking the roads towards Whiterun since she was unable to hire a carriage. Indis had stumbled across a small, quaint little town, hoping to find _something_ to do that would earn her a few Septims. Just enough for a hot meal and maybe, just maybe, a bed that wasn't the cold ground. It wasn't meant to be, though. Each villager she asked for work, shook their heads at her, claiming that there was barely enough for those that lived here.

By this time, the twisting hunger pains and the loud rumble of her empty stomach had become bad enough to cloud her judgment. Indis hadn't stolen before, ever, but when she was faced with the fate of starvation, she found it very easy to justify her actions.

Of course, she wasn't very good at stealing, considering that she had never done it before. She hadn't thought to linger a bit to watch the target, to nonchalantly keep an eye out for guards. Indis had found a small little table set up out back with all kinds of dried meats and what appeared to even be some armor. She gave one quick look around, before pulling a piece of meat off of hooks, and hastily shoving it in her mouth. Indis had paused to look at the armor, before deciding it would work nicely. As she had turned to leave, she met the eyes of a very angry Nord, who had been most displeased to find her helping herself to his belongings.

Indis sniffed, tears beginning to roll down her face. Things hadn't exactly been going well since she made it to Skyrim, but she still found it hard to believe that she had wound up in jail. She tried to fight the tears, but her failed efforts resulted in a loud, choking sob.

_I want to go home. I miss Anneke, I miss Cyrodiil. I should never have left. This was a mistake._

"Is that little girl in there crying again? Talos help me…" growled the voice of one of her jailers, a man that had been particularly irritated by her sporadic, distraught bouts of tears.

"Aye, it is. Hush now, though. By the looks of it, she's had a rough time. Besides, she'll be gone tomorrow morning, her sentence will be over."

"Good. I don't think I could listen to that weepy little sweet roll thief one more night."

* * *

"You there, Imperial! Up, on your feet. You're being released. Try to stay out of trouble, alright?" The male jailer called to her, pulling his keys from his pocket and unlocking her cell door.

Indis rubbed her eyes blearily. Sleeping on a bedroll in a jail cell certainly wasn't the most comfortable, but thanks to her exhaustive tears the night before; she had actually slept quite well. Slowly, she used the bars on her cell to pull herself to her feet, stretching out her stiff limbs. Finally, she was being released!

After some brief administrative work, Indis found herself ushered out the door by the guards. Her meager belongings had been returned to her in a worn rucksack, and the female guard had slipped her a few Septims on her way out, whispering that she looked like she needed the coin.

It was early morning, and Indis found herself standing on the edge of the road, eyes adjusting to the soft rays of sunlight, her mind working to plot her next course of action. Tilting her head upwards, she looked towards the sky, examining the golden and red hues of the trees, contrasting sharply against the clear blue of the sky. The wildlife of the Rift was beginning to wake, and the sounds of the chatter of birds found her ears. A large gust of wind swept across the road, sending shivers across her body.

"Things have been worse. But…at least I'm alive. At least I'm still alive," she quietly whispered, carefully noting her situation.

"Eh, you say something, Imperial?" said a nearby guard, turning to look at her.

"Oh, no. Well, yes. Just talking to myself, though."

"Very well. Carry on now, no lollygaggin'."

* * *

After leaving the small village where she spent the last few days in a cell, Indis had set forth on the road again, slowly making her way to the center of Skyrim. Over the past few hours she had met some drunken revelers who encouraged her to have a drink with them, a hunter who had kindly shared some of her stew, and was feeling her spirits rise thanks to the kindness of strangers and the warm, cheerful sunlight.

She had been walking for most of the day, and while she was feeling much better emotionally, the long march was beginning to take a physical toll. Indis had stopped and set up a small little camp near some hot springs that she had found, figuring that the warmth would be pleasant during the cold night ahead. On her way to the camp site, she had noticed a nest of rabbits and had noticed jazbay grape patches growing near to the water of the springs. Pair those with the leftover mead she had received, and she might just have a decent enough dinner.

* * *

Almost an hour later, Indis had managed to catch a few rabbits and roast them, gather some grapes, and finish off the mead.

"Not bad Indis, not bad. Might just survive after all," she said to herself, hands on her hips, smiling and staring proudly at the fire that had taken her a great deal of time to make.

A loud cough jerked her from her pleased thoughts.

"He-hello?…Is someone there?" Indis' quiet voice called out meekly. She was trying to sound much more brave and fierce than she actually was, but was instead betrayed by the quiver in her voice.

She pulled the tiny little knife out of her belt, hand shaking as she held it out, holding her breath.

Another sound, this time, closer. And voices! There was somebody there!

Trying to move as quietly as she could, she crept closer to the voices. Peeking out from behind a bush, she saw a small group of men and women huddled around a small campfire. Most of them were in blue cuirasses, but one man, was wearing what appeared to be a large fur-trimmed cloak.

Indis stopped, sheathing her daggers. She sat down behind the bush, crossing her legs, all while still watching them. They were around a larger fire, all with what appeared to be bowls of stew in the hands. Indis licked her lips. The rabbit hadn't done much for someone who hadn't had much to eat. They looked like soldiers, perhaps if she asked them, they would allow her to join them, feast on some stew, maybe they would even allow her to travel with them for awhi-

Her thoughts were interrupted by several shouts and the sound of iron and steel meeting. Jerking her head up, her eyes met those of a man, clad in the armor of the Legion. Tumbling backwards, Indis let out a bloodcurdling scream before all went black.


	3. To the Block, Prisoner

**I decided to change the dialogue a little bit for the opening scene of the game, because, honestly, I didn't want you guys to pass out from boredom from hearing/reading exactly what you hear when you start the game. Enjoy!**

* * *

As Indis slowly opened her eyes, she was met with the soft, bleary light of a grey dawn and the jostling rumble of a carriage beneath her feet. The sharp chatter of birds met her ears, and a brisk gust of wind sent chills down her bare arms. Her last memory of was some kind of attack, an ambush, before she had blacked out. If that was the case, then where was she now? Maybe she was still in the Rift? Groggily, Indis opened her eyes and was met with the sight of tall green pines and snowcapped mountains, stretching towards the blinding blue sky. No, this didn't look like the Rift.

"Ah, you there! You're finally awake. I was starting to think you might never come back. Who are you? Where are you from?" asked a large blonde Nord in front of her, as he leaned forward, motioning to her with his bound hands, concern in his eyes.

Bound hands.

_Oh, fantastic. Out of the frying pan, into the fire._ Indis silently mused before raising her eyes to meet the Nord's. "I'm from Bravil, in southern Cyrodiil. My name is Indis."

"Cyrodiil, eh? You're a long ways from home, little Imperial. I'm guessing you walked into that ambush same as us, since you're bound the same as us now."

_Walked into? No, not really. I was crouched behind a shrub, lusting after your delicious food, silently watching you eat, and I passed out from fright and surprise, possibly hitting my head when I fell backwards. _

Indis hesitated. She could tell the truth, but she had to admit it, the truth was a little creepy. "Uh…yes. I sure did. Er, I don't believe I caught your name?"

"Name is Ralof, and you-"

"What is wrong with you two?! How can you just sit there and talk like nothing is wrong?! Look at us! Hey, you there, Imperial! It's not us the Empire wants, don't you see? They were nice and lazy until these Stormcloaks came along. I could have stolen that horse and would've been halfway to Hammerfell. You and I, they should just let us go!" shrieked the man sitting to Ralof's left. The man had been sitting there silent, reserved up until this point, but their seemingly nonchalant conversation had apparently sent him over the edge.

"Something is wrong with you, and something is wrong with him!" the horse thief continued, his tied hands gesturing to the man in a rich black cloak, who was bound and gagged sitting next to Indis. The gagged Nord only grunted.

Ralof turned to the man who had broken into a sudden, frightful panic. "Watch your tongue, thief! You're speaking to Ulfric Stormcloak," he spat, his previously kind voice growing harsh with the reply.

Ulfric Stormcloak? She'd heard that name before, when she'd disinterestedly to her father talk of the rebellion in Skyrim and how he had hoped it would be good for business. Perhaps she should have paid more attention when he had talked of politics. Then, maybe she wouldn't have walked right into a country teeming with civil war.

"Ulfric? The Jarl of Windhelm? If they've captured you, then oh Gods…where are they taking us?"

"Where do you think? End of the line," Ralof replied to the horse thief, shrugging his shoulders.

So this was it, then. Indis turned away from her fellow prisoners, no longer wishing to spend her last moments listening to Ralof's chatter, the Jarl's grunts, or the horse thiefs seemingly endless panic. Her mind drifted back home to Cyrodiil, to the good memories she'd had during her years growing up in Braviil. Ralof was still talking, speaking of Imperials, a military governor, and a girl he had once loved. The thief was, unsurprisingly, still in a panic.

Indis was snapped out of her reflections by the carriage coming to a grinding halt. A female captain called for the prisoners to pile out, and the Imperial next to her began to call names, checking each prisoner off of his list. Things were going smoothly until the horse thief had his name called, and attempted to make an escape, only to be rapidly downed by archers.

Her name hadn't been called, and Indis felt her heart jump. Maybe, just maybe, she wou-

"Wait, you there. Who…are you?" asked the Nord with the list.

"I-Indis. From Cyrodiil," she replied, her voice wavering and cracking. So much for sounding tough.

"You're a long way from the Imperial City. What are you doing here? Captain, she's not on the list. What should we do?"

"She goes to the block, same as everyone else."

"I'm sorry prisoner. I'll make sure your remains are returned to Cyrodiil. Now, follow the captain, please," the man said softly, meeting her eyes. Indis couldn't be certain, but it looked as though he was genuinely sorry.

Indis walked behind the captain who had sent her to the block, sharp little stones biting through the meager bindings on her feet, to join her fellow prisoners sentenced to death. Indis scanned her surroudings, once again choosing to ignore the tiny little military governor's ramblings. Most of the town had turned out for the execution, leaning upon the railings of their shops and houses, calling out insults to the Stormcloak prisoners in the yard. Then she heard it. A hungry, distant roar. Everyone else must have heard it, because they stopped talking to turn their heads up to the sky, searching for the source of the noise. After failing to find what they were seeking, their attention returned to the executions at hand.

The first prisoner had made his way to the block, and Indis turned her head away, having no desire to watch the man's head roll off the chopping block. Just the mere thought made her stomach churn, forcing bile to her throat, so she focused her sights on Ralof, who was…smiling?

_How in the blazes can he look so happy? We're all about to die!_ Indis frantically mused to herself, interrupted again by yet another roar.

"Next prisoner! The renegade from Cyrodiil!" shouted the captain, hard eyes focused on and fingers pointing at Indis.

"To the block prisoner, nice and easy," said the man with the list, regret creeping into his voice. So she didn't imagine it, after all. He did seem genuinely sorry that she was being put to death.

She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. Indis was absolutely terrified, and she felt her limbs tremble and her knees threaten to give, but she sincerely hoped that she was giving off the impression that she was fearless and ready for death, even if she wasn't at all.

Indis found herself at the block, with an Imperial shoulder pushing her down to her knees in front of the blood-stained piece of wood. Before placing her head in the groove meant for her neck, Indis' last sight was of the head of the man executed before her, and her stomach threatened to heave.

She closed her eyes, not wishing for her last sight to be the burly, masked executioner with his bloodstained axe. Indis forced herself to think only of her home, of Anneke, trying her best to ignore the metallic stench of blood and the roaring from the skies that had returned.

That roaring. It seemed…closer.

Indis opened her eyes, only to be met with the sight of a black dragon swooping down on the town. The headsman, along with the other Imperials, no longer seemed to be concerned with the execution carrying on as planned, and had turned their attention to the dragon at hand. The beast landed on top of a nearby tower with a thundering crash, knocking her would-be executioner to the ground. The headsman tried to stand again, but the dragon opened its mighty jaws and let out a massive wave of force. The impact hit Indis, throwing her to the ground.

Her vision was spinning, waning, blurring as she tried to make out what was happening around her. It seemed as though every bit of blood in her body had rushed to her head, where it was currently pounding in her ears. She was so, so close to losing consciousness and going under when she felt a pair of hands grab at her arms.


	4. The Great Escape

"Come on Imperial, get up! The Gods won't give us a second chance!"

Indis was still reeling from that…well, _whatever_ that dragon had done after it landed on the tower, and it took her a few seconds to realize that the voice urging her to get on her feet and the arms that were dragging her into the relative safety belonged to Ralof.

"Unghh," was all Indis could really offer as Ralof deposited her on the floor of a tower, next to a group of injured Stormcloaks. Her hands were still bound, but she managed to clumsily rub her aching temples as she surveyed the scene around her. It looked like most of the Stormcloaks had been badly injured, and were either lying motionless or dying.

Indis clambered to her feet, stumbling over to Ralof and…what was that jarl's name again? Ulfrac Stormrock? No, that wasn't right. Maybe it was Ulf-

"Come on, we need to get moving! Follow me," Ralof said, grabbing her arm and guiding her up the steps, away from the jarl and his dying comrades. Mere seconds before, the dragon had destroyed a section of the wall, leaving a gaping hole that overlooked the town. Indis and Ralof briefly paused before he turned to her. "See that inn on the other side? Jump through there and just keep going."

"Wait, what? Isn't anyone else coming?" she squeaked.

"We'll follow when we can, now go!"

"C-could you at least take off my bindings? I can't really use my hands…" Indis trailed off, turning to see that Ralof was already darting back down the steps of the tower, no doubt to join the jarl.

Taking a deep breath, Indis climbed to the edge of the hole, peering down at the ground below. It was a long way to fall, and if she didn't make it, she could easily break bones or impale herself on the masses of rubble lying below. Since painful injury or death was what would inevitably await her if she failed, she would just have to make it. Simple.

Unwilling to hesitate any longer, Indis jumped, pushing off the ledge with all that she had. She made it over the gap between the tower and the inn, the shock from landing hard on her feet shooting up through her knees. Unbalanced, she fell forward, smacking her face on the dust-ridden wooden planks. She mumbled a short expletive before pushing herself up and stumbling forward, only to tumble to the hard earth through a hole in the floor.

How she had managed to stay alive for so long was quickly becoming an incredibly intriguing mystery.

Lurching through the opening where a door had once been, Indis found herself outside of the feeble, imagined safety of a burning building and out in the vulnerable open space of Helgen. The Nord with the list was directing some of the townspeople to safety, and even though he had led her to the chopping block moments before, she found herself running towards him, waving her bound hands to catch his eye.

"Still alive prisoner? Stay close to me if you want to keep it that way," motioning for the direction for her to continue with his drawn sword.

Indis wasted no time, tiny feet barreling in the direction he had indicated, drawing closer to the smoldering ashes of what had once been someone's home or business. "Stay close to the wall prisoner!"

She pressed her body tight to the wall as she physically could, holding her breath as the massive black dragon landed on the wall right in front of her, unleashing fire and fury on some unfortunate soul. The dragon's wing was right there, right in front of her face, and some irresistible urge overtook her at that moment. Indis raised her tied hands and just gently placed them on the wing in front of her, silently marveling at the cool flesh below her hands.

Her stupor was broken as the dragon took off in flight, slipping out from under her fingers. Shaking her head at that most unusual whim, she took off at a quick jog, making her way through the ashes and rubble. Where had that man gone? In her little moment with the dragon, she had managed to lose him. Rounding another corner, she spotted him standing near the man that she had heard called General Tullius, and quickly made her way over.

"Into the keep soldier, we're leaving!" the General bellowed at the Nord with the list, before turning his attention to Indis. "What are you doing? Run, stupid!"

Indis wasn't going to waste any time. She felt as though she was so close to escape and all she had to do was keep going. She kept her eyes on the Nord with the list's distant bobbing head as he made his way to the keep, never letting her eyes leave him as she closed the distance between them.

"We're escaping Hadvar, you can't stop us!"

"Ralof, you damned traitor! I hope that dragon takes you all to Sovngarde!"

There was Ralof! Indis had been afraid he had ended up as one of the motionless bodies lying throughout Helgen, and she was glad to see that wasn't the case.

"Hey, you there, follow me!" Ralof called out to her as he jogged towards a door, likely to the keep. A roar, louder this time, cut through the air. Indis looked up to see meet the eyes of the black dragon as it descended on the ground in front of the keep. Not wanting to wait around to find out what the dragon had in mind, Indis bolted as quickly as she could after Ralof.

* * *

They had made it, in a way. She and Ralof had at least made it to the keep, but there were undoubtedly Imperials ahead to contend with and there was still the risk of the dragon bring the entire keep crumbling down.

Now that she had a moment to pause, Indis stopped, her chest heaving as she wheezed and gasped for breath, leaving it painfully obvious that she hadn't done much running before. She placed her hands on her hips, trying to catch her breath as she walked over to Ralof, who was now hunched over the body of a dead Stormcloak soldier.

"We'll meet again in Sovngarde brother," he whispered, reaching out to close the man's eyes before turning to Indis, speaking as he began to remove the armor from his comrade. "Did you see that thing? A dragon, just like the children's stories! Here, put on Gunjar's cuirass and take his axe. He won't need them anymore."

Indis took the cuirass, her fingers clutching it tightly. "Ralof, would you mind?" she asked nervously, blushing slightly.

He stared at her unsure of what she meant, before it finally hit him. "Ah! A dragon is bringing Helgen down around us, and you're worried about me seeing you in your smallclothes? Very well, just make it fast."

As soon as she saw Ralof turn away, Indis turned the opposite direction to take off her ragged tunic and footwraps, pulling the large tunic over her head and slipping her feet into the fur boots that had once belonged to Gunjar. In her distracted state of dress and undress, Indis didn't notice Ralof peeking slyly over his shoulder, furtively trying to sneak a glance.

"Are you done yet? Good. Give that axe a few swings, and let's see if we can get that gate open somehow."

* * *

After slipping into the Stormcloak gear, time seemed to pass by in a blur. She and Ralof made their way through the keep, cutting down any Imperials they encountered and avoiding the ever-crumbling stone around them. Indis noticed that whenever it came to a fight, Ralof gave Indis and her axe a wide berth. He seemed to have picked up on the fact that she had no training in swordplay, something she made clear by the way she wildly, franticly swung her axe at their opponents.

They had made their way to the torture room, and after taking care of the torturer and his assistant, Ralof made his way over to the one Stormcloak who had survived, questioning her on whether or not the jarl had made his way through. Indis awkwardly attempted to sheath her sword, missing the first few times, while she adjusted the knapsack on her back, listening to the gentle clank of the potions inside.

"See if you can open that cell over there. Inside is some gold and some more potions, and we may very well need them when we get out," Ralof said pressing a handful of lockpicks into her palm. "Then look to see if there's anything else that may be of use. I'll be waiting shortly ahead when you get done."

Indis set to work on the lock of the cell that Ralof had directed her attention to. Her fingers gently, clumsily turned the pick. A few broken picks later, and Indis was surprised to see the lock turn and click open. She hastily grabbed the gold and potions inside, taking care to avoid touching the decomposing corpse of the unfortunate mage inside. Indis also grabbed the spell tome for sparks that she found inside, stuffing it in the knapsack as well. Given her lackluster performance with a sword, this might be just what she needed.

She made one final pass through the room, grabbing some more potions and lockpicks and was headed to meet Ralof when a book resting on a small end table caught her eye. She ran her fingers over the emblem embossed on the cover, a small silver dragon, before snatching it and tucking it in her knapsack.

* * *

After an exhausting journey through a crumbling keep filled with angry Imperials, giant horrific spiders, and even a bear, the pair finally escaped the Helgen keep.

"Wait!" Ralof said softly, ducking behind a boulder, eyes on the dragon that swooped over a mountain, slowly becoming a fading dot in the distance. "There he goes. Well, that's over. You know, I don't believe I caught your name, little Imperial."

"Indis. My name is Indis," she replied, still crouched down, warily watching the skies.

"Come on then, Indis. We'd best not tarry here too long, since this place will be swarming with Imperials soon enough. Let's make way to Riverwood. My sister Gerdur will help us out."

* * *

**For those of you who have been reading this, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU so much! I would love to hear any constructive thoughts anyone is having about this little fic as it takes off. What do you like? What are you itching to see more of? I'm writing not only for myself, but for you, dearest reader and I'd love to hear your insight. Once again, thanks for reading. :)**


	5. A Visit to Whiterun

In sharp contrast to the hours before them, their journey to Riverwood was incredibly peaceful, relaxing, and dull, something that neither minded at all. Despite their rather recent brush with death, Ralof had been in incredibly good spirits, smiling and making idle chatter along the way. He had talked about the Stormcloaks, about Jarl Ulfric, and his family in Riverwood while Indis listened silently.

They had reached Riverwood near dusk, dusty feet wearily trudging towards the tiny, picturesque village. "Come on," Ralof had said, grabbing her hand and steering her in the direction of the lumber mill. "I'm guessing Gerdur and her husband will be still at work at their mill."

Ralof pulled Indis over a small wooden bridge, leading her towards a tall blonde woman who looked a good deal like the huge, sweaty Nord who hadn't relinquished his vice-like grip on her hand. That must be Gerdur, the sister that Ralof mentioned more than a few times on their way to Riverwood.

"Gerdur!" Ralof called out, letting go of Indis as he embraced his sister.

"Brother, it's good to see you! Are you alright? What happened?" Gerdur said, furrowing her brow, concern deep in her eyes.

"Not now Gerdur. Can we go back to your house and talk there? It'd be best if we weren't out in the open."

* * *

Ralof hadn't been lying when he said that Gerdur and her husband would be more than happy to help. Gerdur and Hod, her husband, had both fussed over the two of them, doling out hearty bowls of venison stew and thick, crusty bread as Ralof recounted the events to the two of them. Indis was more than willing to let Ralof do all the talking, staying quiet as she hungrily shoved stew into her mouth. Running from dragons and nearly getting executed can really wear a woman down, it seems.

"You two look pretty done in. Both of you, please, stay as long as you like," Gerdur said softly, before turning to Indis. "Any friend of Ralof's is a friend of mine. If you need anything, just ask, don't hesitate…there is one thing you could do for me, though. For all of us, actually."

Indis paused, wiping away the remnants of the stew that had missed her mouth and ended up on her chin. Do something, right now? Indis frowned ever so slightly, before speaking. "What did you need?"

"Jarl Balgruuf in Whiterun needs to know if there's a dragon on the loose," Gerdur explained. "Riverwood is defenseless, and we're vulnerable to a dragon attack."

Indis raised an eyebrow. "What can the Jarl do about a dragon?" she asked incredulously.

"I suppose…send some guards?"

"Oh."

* * *

Gerdur had supplied Indis with a small washbasin and a simple tunic, directing her to the cellar. "You and Ralof can sleep down there, there are a few bedrolls. Rest well, and safe journey to Whiterun tomorrow. Once again, thank you for going to speak to the jarl."

Indis turned away, slowly making her way down the narrow steps to the cellar, taking care to not stumble in the dim light. She had already taken quite a few violent tumbles over the course of the day, and had no desire to engage in another one. Scanning the small, cramped area, she spotted Ralof sitting cross-legged on a bedroll in the far corner. Indis carefully maneuvered around the piles of food, the stacked barrels, and various oddities shoved into the space, making her way to Ralof.

"There you are! I was wondering where you had gotten to."

"I was just cleaning myself up. Your sister was kind enough to lend me some of her old clothes," Indis said, dragging her bedroll a good distance from Ralof's before settling down on it.

"Eager to get so far away from me," he teased, feigning hurt. "You know, there's plenty of space over here by me," he said with a wink.

Indis blushed and looked down at her feet, choosing to busy herself with straightening out the hem of her worn-out tunic. What was it with these flirty men? First it had been Hod, referring to her "beautiful trunks", whatever those were, as he winked at her over his mug of mead. Now Ralof?

"Ah, I tease," Ralof said, obviously growing uneasy with her nervous lack of eye contact. "When were you planning on making for Whiterun? The hold capital isn't too far, but it can still take some time to get there."

"I hadn't really thought about it. Not too long after dawn?"

"Aye, that sounds like a good plan. I had been planning on laying low here for a while before heading back to Windhelm. I could go with you to Whiterun…if you'd like, that is. Accompanying you is the least I can do, considering you saved my life in Helgen."

Indis audibly sighed with relief. She felt uncomfortable with every weapon she had touched up to this point, and being new to Skyrim, she was quite certain she would manage to get lost, even if given very clear directions to her destination. She had been fairly lucky up until this point, and she had a nagging suspicion that it would run out shortly.

"Ralof, I'd truly appreciate that. Wake me at dawn?"

* * *

The two had awoken shortly after dawn, sleepily pulling their dirty, blood-stained cuirasses over their heads, grabbing a few apples on their way out of Hod and Gerdur's house.

"We need to head north on the main road. If we see any Imperials, just let me do the talking. This isn't Stormcloak territory, you know. Can I ask you something, Indis?"

Indis shrugged. "Certainly, as long as I can ask you something."

"Fair enough, a question for a question. Why'd you come to Skyrim? Not many people would choose to go somewhere where there's a civil war going on," Ralof asked, taking a final bite of his apple, chucking the remaining core into the river they had just crossed over.

She hesitated, a little embarrassed at the truth. "I was running away from something," she confessed vaguely. "And to answer your second question, I…didn't really know there was a civil war going on."

Ralof cocked an eyebrow. "How do you not know about a war?"

"Let's just say that current politics weren't part of my life much," Indis said, raising her hands defensively, nearly flinging her apple aside.

"No need to get defensive! Now, your turn."

"Why'd you join the Stormcloaks?"

"Because! That damned Empire is dying. Those milk-drinkers surrendered to those witch-elves, bending to their will. Skyrim needs a strong leader that will grant her independence and restore order and the worship of Talos. I joined the Stormcloaks because I'm a true son of Skyrim. You know, you should come to Windhelm me and join the fight."

"I'll…consider it," Indis replied, uncertain of what else to say.

"My turn for a question," he said, turning to her with a smile.

"Go ahead," she said, awkwardly adjusting the war axe at her side.

"Had you touched a sword or an axe before Helgen?"

"Touched, yes. Used, no."

Ralof laughed. "I'd figured as much, with the way you swung that axe around like a madwoman. No form at all! I was afraid that I'd escaped the executioner only to have you take off my head."

Ralof and Indis' journey continued in a very similar vein, continuing their easygoing conversation as they lazily made their way down the riverside road. Indis was glad she had met Ralof; as far as company went, she found him to be quite pleasant, very unlike most of those she had known growing up. Indis had a few of what she had considered to be friends, but they were only the sons or daughters of fellow nobles that her father had chosen for her as worthy company. Her interactions with them had been fairly sparse, and often consisted of dull, uncomfortable tea parties, where the women had only discussed ribbons and husbands, and the men had turned their attention to money and politics, everyone only paying attention to their own selfish interests.

Perhaps they hadn't actually been her friends after all.

"Septim for your thoughts?" Ralof asked, gently nudging her shoulder.

"Oh, nothing!" she stammered, her mind searching for an excuse. "Well, just one thing. I was just wondering if you braided your own hair, or if Jarl Ulfric did it for you. Do you braid his hair? Sit around the campfire and do each other's braids?"

Ralof muttered something that sounded strangely like "damn cheeky Imperial", but Indis' attempt to respond was interrupted when he suddenly grabbed her arm, coming to a quick halt, pointing off into the distance.

"See that there? A giant. Looks like it's found its way onto someone's farm. Ready?"

Of course she saw it; it was a giant for the love of…who was that Divine her father made offerings to? Zenithar? She opened her mouth ever so slightly, intending to point out that the three warriors who were battling looked like they had the situation under control, but Ralof had already unsheathed his axe and bolted off before she could respond.

Indis froze, before breaking into a sprint. _Come on Indis, it's a giant. At least there's a greater likelihood the axe will actually hit it, right?_

If they hadn't been in the middle of a battle, Ralof and the three strangers who had been fighting would have stopped to laugh at the absurd sight as a tiny Imperial came running at them, a little war axe held high above her head with both hands, swinging and hacking wildly at the giant.

* * *

"What was that? That was…interesting, but not terrible. You might make a decent shield-sister. I'm sure you've heard of the Companions. We show up to solve problems if the coin is good enough. You should come to Jorrvaskr and speak to Kodlak. He'll see if you have what it takes," said the tall Nord woman of the trio whose aid they had rushed to.

Indis looked the three over with interest. She couldn't be sure, but they looked and sounded like mercenaries. "Sounds like a waste of time to me," she said, crossing her arms.

"Nobody asked you," the woman replied, indignation flashing across her warpaint-adorned face. "Farkas, Ria- back to Jorrvaskr."

The male of the three turned back to Indis. "You look strong. Come to Jorrvaskr if you change your mind."

Ralof watched the three Companions walk towards the gates of Whiterun before turning to Indis with a sigh. "I can't do anything about your little affront to the Companions, but I think it would be best if you just let me hold onto this," he said, gently removing the iron axe from her hands.

* * *

"You go on ahead and see the jarl; I've got something I need to take care of. Come and find me in the marketplace once you've finished there. See that building up there? That's Dragonsreach. You'll find Balgruuf in there."

Indis watched Ralof walk away in the direction of an establishment called The Drunken Huntsman before turning her attention back to what he had called Dragonsreach. Her stomach nervously churned as she thought of going to speak to the jarl, feeling very tiny, grubby, and alone.

_No point in delaying. Best to just get this over with._

Indis slowly found her way up the steps of Dragonsreach, crossing the small bridge to the entrance, her eyes drawn to the skeleton floating in the moat below. Oh, Gods. She swallowed the lump in her throat, willing herself to be brave, as she pushed open one of the massive doors, making her way inside.

"What's the meaning of this interruption?" growled a red-haired Dunmer, stepping in front of Indis, sword drawn.

"I, uhh, Gerdur sent me about, err, dragons. Helgen," she offered lamely, uncertain of what else to say.

The woman sheathed her blade, beckoning for her to step forward. "If you were at Helgen, Jarl Balgruuf will want to speak with you directly. Come with me."

* * *

Indis found her way back to the marketplace, eyes searching for Ralof, ready to return to Riverwood. Spotting the blonde Nord, she weaved her through the throngs of people to the bench he was sitting on.

"That was quite fast. What happened?" he asked, moving over to make room for her.

"Not much, honestly. He asked a bit about what happened at Helgen and said he'd send a detachment of troops to Riverwood. He said he liked my initiative, or something along those lines, and offered me some new armor, but I took some spell tomes instead," she said, practically beaming as she held up the stack of books. "Oh, and he said he might require my assistance again at some point. Do you know what that might mean?"

"Pah, magic. To each their own, I suppose," he said, causing Indis to wrinkle her nose at him.

"But on a more serious note, it would seem that the jarl found you trustworthy and reliable, and that's a mighty compliment. Trust is a hard commodity to come by in these difficult days. I'm sure if he needed your aid in the future, he'd reward you quite well. Ah, anyway, I got you something. Figured this might be a better choice of weapon for you, considering you're a little…overenthusiastic with a blade," he said nervously, scratching his head and looking away as he held out a hunting bow.

Indis gingerly took it, running her hands over the fine craftsmanship. "Ralof, you shouldn't have bought this for me, I, I mean, I don't even know how to-"

Ralof held up his hand, motioning for her to be silent. "You know, when most receive a gift, they say 'thank you'," he said in a teasing voice. "No fear, I'll teach you how to use it. You can practice on mudcrabs on our way back to Riverwood."


	6. Simple Inquiries

Five Months Later

Indis crouched on the small rock overhang, arrow nocked and ready to fly, her aim focused on the oblivious deer a few yards away. She drew the bowstring back, taking a deep breath, ready to let the arrow fly when her name shouted in the distance startled her and her prey; the deer bounded off in the distance, the arrow missing as she jerked back in surprised.

She signed and straightened up, turning to the source of the interruption, scowling.

"Ralof, I almost had it! Did you see the size of that buck? Do you know how much I could have gotten for its hide and meat?" she said, her frustration obvious.

"Hey, I'm not the one who missed the shot. I thought you said you were getting better?" Ralof said, teasing.

"I am a perfectly fine shot, thank you very much. It's just a bit difficult to concentrate when someone with the grace of a mammoth comes blundering through the woods, shouting your name. Now, what did you need?" she said indignantly, crossing her arms.

"I just came to say my goodbyes. I'm leaving for Windhelm tomorrow at dawn."

Indis turned to him, frowning, and her brow furrowing. _What? Leaving? No!_

"Why?" she asked, hoping the sadness she was feeling wouldn't be too evident in her voice. Apparently she failed in those attempts, since Ralof turned to her with concern in his eyes.

"I need to get back to Jarl Ulfric, join the fight again. I've been gone for much longer than I should have been," he admitted. "Now, don't look so sad. I brought some food, some Honningbrew Mead, so let's enjoy the rest of the day together."

* * *

The midday sun was high in the sky, burning brightly, its warmth beating down on their skin as they lay stretched out by the shores of Lake Illinalta. There had been a small path leading down to the shore from the Guardian Stones, to a slightly secluded, shallower area of the lake where they had chosen to stop. The two were silent, taking the occasional sip of mead, before Indis spoke.

"Where do you think it went?" Indis asked, sitting up and gesturing in the direction of Riverwood and a ruin Ralof had called Bleak Falls Barrow. "The dragon we saw at Helgen, I mean. It's been months, and no one has seen one since then. Do you think he's…gone?"

Ralof shrugged. "I can't be certain. Maybe he is. Maybe he's hiding, waiting for something. I will say that I'm personally glad we haven't seen any more dragons since Helgen."

Helgen. Something that Indis had tried so hard to push out of her mind. Yet, whenever she was left alone with her thoughts during a hunt or lying in her small straw bed in the Sleeping Giant Inn trying to fall asleep, Helgen always came back to her, haunting her thoughts and dreams. Indis had found that even though it had been months since their escape, every detail, every damned sight, smell, sound, and feeling could come rushing back at any moment, at any mention of the destroyed villages name, or the sight of a Stormcloak cuirass.

This was one of those moments now, it would seem. She remembered her feet pounding stone as she frantically ran through the burning buildings, passing by bodies charred beyond recognition, by those dying, who lay in crimson pools, clutching their wounds and looking at her pass by them with pleading eyes.

She considered what happened inside the keep to be worse. Running past the dead and dying, victims of the dragon, had often left her queasy, but that wasn't the worst of it. Their escape through the keep had been a heart-racing blur; escape and survival were the only goals, but the down time in Riverwood left her plenty of time to ruminate on what had happened, what she had done. The first time she had swung a weapon, and it met with the head of the female captain who had sent her to the block, bone crunching with a sickening thud. The torture room, which introduced her to the ripe stench of dried blood and decaying flesh, and the sight of a dead, tortured mage who couldn't have been much older than her, his flesh pale and clammy, maggots falling from his cheek-

"I'm going to be sick," she gasped, bile suddenly rising in her throat as she lurched forward and fell at the edge of the lake, her stomach violently emptying its contents.

_That's what you get for mentioning that place. Fantastic, Indis. Fantastic._ Indis mused ruefully as she raised a small handful of water to rinse out her mouth before turning back to Ralof, flustered and embarrassed.

"Alright there? What happened?"

"Nothing just…Helgen," she said.

Quiet fell between the two, leaving only the gentle lapping of water on the shoreline, the hum of dartwings racing quietly along the surface of the water.

"Do you think about Helgen? About what happened, what we did there? About everyone that died?" she asked breaking the silence, her voice cautious.

"Aye, I do."

"Sometimes I see their faces in my dreams," she admitted, hugging her knees as she pulled them up to her chest. "I can't stop thinking about those we killed. I don't ever want to do that again."

"It's normal for you to feel this way, especially since those were your first kills. We did what we had to do to survive, nothing more. Wait, is that why you didn't want to go with Hod and me when we took care of those bandits in Embershard?"

Indis nodded, embarrassed. "I didn't think I could do it. I get more blood than I can handle from the hunt, that's all."

"Nothing to be ashamed of, we've all been there before. Now, is this how you really want to spend the afternoon?"

* * *

After Ralof had effectively ended her talk of morose subject matter, he had pulled out the mead he brought, and the two spent the afternoon swilling mead and enjoying each other's company. A pair of mudcrabs had come at them, clicking and brandishing their claws, until Ralof stopped them with his axe. Indis had put one of the spell tomes she received as a thank you from the jarl to work, resurrecting them with one of the few conjuration spells she knew.

Indis was on her fourth bottle of mead, and her head spun slightly as she looked up at the soft pinks and oranges of dusk that painted the sky above the lake and the dim stars that seemed to swim in the sky above the pines.

"I wish you weren't leaving," she said, voice loud and slightly slurred as she strove to be heard over the dull chatter of her zombie mudcrabs.

"Come with me. We can go to Windhelm together."

"And what would I do? Join the Stormcloaks? It's not my fight, Ralof. Besides, you know how I feel about killing. I'd be an awful soldier anyway, given that I can't use a sword and I'd end up retching as soon as I saw blood. What, do the Stormcloaks need a woman who is average with a bow and can raise mudcrabs from the dead to fight?"

"No, but I do."

Indis was dumbstruck, turning to Ralof, expecting to see a teasing look in his eyes, or even his joking smile. What she found was a man who appeared to be completely, totally, utterly serious.

"You and me, Indis. Come with me to Windhelm, and we can even stop in Riften at the Temple of Mara on the way. What d'you think?"


	7. Farewell to Riverwood

"I think you're very drunk and you don't know what you're saying," Indis replied, rising to her feet, brushing the sand off of her breeches. "We should head back to Riverwood, it's getting late and you have a long journey tomorrow."

_Ralof can't be serious…can he? He's drunk, that's all, and everyone says stupid thing when they're drunk, right?_

She inhaled deeply before turning to him and stretching a hand out. He took her hand, and she used every bit of strength to help the inebriated Nord to his feet, surprised at how drunk he was when he awkwardly stumbled to his feet. Nords were supposed to higher tolerance, right?

"'ey, you're getting' stronger, y'know?" he slurred as she draped one of his arms around her neck and slipped her hand around his broad waist in an effort to stabilize him.

"And you're getting fatter," she gasped as they ambled up the path, his weight heavy against her. _Gods, he's so heavy! Are all Nord men the size of bears?_

"Aye…I am," he replied solemnly, patting his stomach.

* * *

After a prolonged, awkward journey back to Riverwood, Indis headed back to the Sleeping Giant Inn after depositing a barely conscious Ralof in the arms of his sister. The hour was late, and the inn was quiet and empty, with only Orgnar methodically wiping tankards clean at the bar. Indis had moved into the inn shortly after her arrival, striking a deal with Orgnar and Delphine, the innkeeper. She had been offered a place to stay, along with pay, if she helped out with anything the inn needed.

"Good hunting today?"

Indis shook her head, sliding onto one of the wooden barstools. "Game was sparse," she said, sullenly staring down at the bar.

"Alright, what's wrong," he asked gruffly, setting the tankard and rag down, bracing his arms on the counter. "Usually when you come in, you won't stop your yammering about all the cute little foxes you saw, or a new place you found to get imp stool, or something. You upset that your man is leaving tomorrow?"

"What?" she snapped, her head jerking up, cheeks red with embarrassment. "No, wait, yes. I am. But he's not my man, and I don't know where you go off getting ideas like that."

Orgnar shrugged. "You two spend just about every damn second together, and run off into the woods for hours to do Gods know what. Guess I was mistaken."

"He asked me to leave with him. Get married," she moaned, placing her head on the bar, smashing her face into the hard wood, muffling her voice. "I don't know what to do."

"If ye like 'im, then do it. If ye don't, then don't. It ain't that hard," he mumbled, obviously uncomfortable with the turn the conversation had taken.

_How very Orgnar, and how very, very unhelpful._

* * *

The burn hadn't left her cheeks as she descended the steps into the basement of the inn and found her way over to the small living area she had set up. She undressed quickly, pulling off her mud-caked boots and dusty clothes, replacing them quickly with a clean, worn-out nightshirt. Indis climbed into her bed, leaning over and blowing out the lantern on her end table before pulling the warm furs around her.

Indis was exhausted, but her mind kept mulling over the events of the past few hours, trying to process exactly what had happened. Ralof was leaving, that much was absolutely certain. Indis felt a dull ache in her stomach as it knotted up at the thought. He had become her closest friend and most constant companion, and she couldn't deny that she would miss him very much, and to be honest, now that he was going to be gone, she didn't feel much like staying in Riverwood.

Did this mean that she…loved him and wanted to go with him?

_You shouldn't just jump into the boat with the first kind, handsome, incredible fisherman that comes along, Indis. _

Indis sighed and rolled over, pulling the furs over her head in a protective cocoon. "I don't know what to do," she said out loud, hoping that someone would grant her the answer.

* * *

The sound of a rooster call jerked Indis out of the short, restless slumber that she had managed to fall into after hours of searching for guidance and praying to every Divine known in hopes that she would reach some sort of resolution. Indis had managed to do so, but it had taken far longer than she hoped.

Indis took her time readying herself, slowly clambering out of bed and stretching, still not fully awake. She pulled on a clean tunic and breeches and used a strip of leather to tie her long hair up in a messy bun, making a note to cut it sometime soon. She glanced at her boots, now stiff with the dried mud that caked them. Barefoot it was, at least until she could clean them off.

Pushing the door of the inn open, Indis stepped out into the soft early light of dawn, bare feet making a gentle patter as she made her way to the mill. Hod and Gerdur, well, mainly Gerdur, always got an early start sawing logs, and Ralof was bound to be there as well. Indis spotted blonde hair and the telltale blue cuirass, and waved as she made her way over.

"Glad you're here, seeing me off! So, did you have time to think? What do you say? Coming with me?"

So he had been serious. Indis had decided last night if he didn't bring the matter up, neither would she, but it appeared that wasn't going to be the case.

"Listen, Ralof…we need to talk. I've thought about what you said, what you asked of me, and I've got an answer for you," she said, pausing to meet his eyes and gauge his reaction before continuing. "You're my closest friend and I do care about you a great deal, but I think I want to have time to think about all of this because honestly, it was quite unexpected. I think I'm going to go my own way now, for a while at least. I-I hope you don't mind. Friends?"

"Of course," he replied, a little gruff, disappointment creeping into his voice.

"Will you write me?"

"Of course."

"Come visit me?"

"Of course."

"Are you going to say anything else?"

"I suppose. You said you wanted to go your own way. Does that mean you're going to be leaving Riverwood?"

"It does. I've decided to head to Riften."

* * *

One week after her awkward and uncomfortable goodbye to Ralof, Indis had made her way north to the stables at Whiterun to hire a carriage to take her to the Rift. Over the past few months, she had saved every Septim she earned, hoping that one day she'd be able to head off on her own. Today was that day.

As her feet settled into a steady rhythm on the road towards Whiterun, she recalled the night that Ralof had asked her to leave with him. In her haze of frantic thought and insomnia, Indis had crawled out of bed, given life to the lantern again, and pulled out a ragged map that she had obtained a few months earlier. She had carefully unrolled it on the top of her end table, using the few books she had to hold down the edges. She ran a tiny finger over the surface, her mind jumping back to what Ralof had suggested earlier. Out of the entire idea, one place, one suggestion stood out to her.

Riften.

The Rift was the first place in Skyrim she found herself in after leaving Cyrodiil, and as she thought of the bright yellow, red, and orange of the leaves, the warm, sunny climate, Indis found herself wanting to return. Riverwood was agreeable enough, but she found herself yearning for the amenities and feel of a larger city. She had heard from other hunters she encountered that there was plenty of game to be found, so she had hoped that she'd be able to continue what she was just doing in Riverwood, but in a different, warmer, more scenic location.

She had made her decision, and she intended to go through with it. Saying her goodbyes hadn't taken long given the size of Riverwood, and it hadn't taken her more than a few minutes to gather all of her belongings before setting out. The sun had been hidden behind dim and dark grey clouds throughout most of her journey, and a loud crack of thunder and the sudden downpour of rain jolted her from her thoughts. She spotted the carriage she would be hiring, sorely wishing that it were covered to protect its passengers from the cold, wet rain.

"Need a carriage?" the driver called down to her, pulling a thick cloak over his head.

"Actually, yes I do. How much will it cost me to take me to Riften?" she asked, digging through her knapsack for a coin purse with one hand, attempting to protect her belongs from the splattering raindrops with the other.

"20 Septims. Climb in back, and we'll be off."

* * *

**There it is! One more little chapter, and I hope you liked it. Ralof is going to be gone for a while, but he will be back. Stay tuned next chapter for her first encounter with everyone's favorite charming redheaded thief. :)**


	8. Hey There, Lass

Five days after leaving the stables of Whiterun, Indis had finally arrived at the gates of Riften. Bjorlam, the carriage driver who she had hired, had proven himself to be an amiable source of companionship, constantly chatting and pointing out landmarks and providing interesting facts.

"Good luck in Riften. Be careful in there. Lots of unsavory folk around the city," Bjorlam called back to her as she gathered her belongings and jumped down from the back of the carriage. "If you need a place to stay, head over to the Bee and Barb. They've got good food, some interesting house drinks, and plenty of warm beds."

Indis nodded her thanks and waved goodbye before starting towards the nearby gate.

"Halt!" called one of the guards, crossing his arms. "Before you enter Riften, you need to pay the visitor's tax."

Indis stopped. _Visitor's tax? What in Oblivion? That doesn't sound right…_

"What is the tax for?" she inquired, thinking that perhaps she had forgotten or missed something. Had Bjorlam mentioned this tax during some of the chatter she had chosen to ignore?

"For the privilege of entering our great city," the guard replied, drawing a laugh from his partner.

"This is obviously a shakedown. I don't think there is a visitor's tax at all," Indis said loudly, consciously attempting to sound confident and assured in her accusations.

"Shh! Alright, alright! Keep your voice down. You want the whole blasted city to hear you? Here, I'll unlock the gate for you. Head inside whenever you're ready," the guard hissed, unlocking the gate and pulling it open for her.

Indis hesitantly walked through the gate, unnerved by what had just happened, mind mulling over what had just happened and what she had gotten herself into when a gruff voice and a firm hand on her arm grabbed her attention.

"I don't know you, you in Riften lookin' for trouble?" he growled, scowling face and dark eyes moving in closer.

"I-I'm just here looking for work, th-that's all, I promise. What's it matter?" she squeaked.

"Well, stay out of trouble, or there's going to be trouble," he muttered. "I'm keeping an eye on you, Imperial. Stay out of the way of the Black-Briar family and get in good with Brynjolf, then I'll talk to you move. Now, get outta my sight."

Indis wrenched herself out of the man's grasp, feeling his eyes burn into her back as she walked away towards what appeared to be the inn. Shaking off what had just happened, Indis pushed the door to the inn open, and was met with the warm heat of a fire, the smell of a hearty stew, and the loud preaching of a man in hooded robes.

_Ignore him, just find the innkeeper. Food, drink, bed. That's the main focus right now._

"Hey there, lass. Never done an honest day's work for all that coin you're carrying, eh?" said a tall, redheaded Nord who had stepped in front of her.

"Wha-what? Excuse me?" she stutted, taken aback by his forward accusation.

"Lass, I'm saying you've got the coin, but you didn't earn a Septim of it honestly. I can tell."

What was he saying? Was he implying that she was a-

"Are you saying that you think I'm a…prostitute? Are you trying to solicit me?" she accused furiously, her voice growing shrill and angry.

The man raised his hands defensively as he motioned for her to calm down, surprised. "No, no, lass! I'm usually not this blunt, but I'd thought you had the telltale marks of a good thief, that's all, and I have an offer for you, if you're interested. The name is Brynjolf, by the way."

Indis flushed, embarrassed at her outburst and accusation, suddenly feeling very foolish. "Er, what is this offer you have?"

"I need someone's help creating a little diversion in the marketplace tomorrow."

"What kind of diversion?"

"I need you to break into the strongbox under Madesi's stand, steal the silver ring, and plant it in one of Brand-Shei's pockets. Think you can handle that, lass?"

"You…you want me to steal? You want me to break the law?" she hissed, taking a step backwards. "Are you mad?"

"Forgive me, lass," he said, turning away. "I suppose I was mistaken about you. Well, come and find me in the marketplace tomorrow if you change your mind. I'll be there from dawn until dusk."

* * *

After her odd, rattling encounter with Brynjolf, Indis had found her way over to the Argonian innkeeper Keerava, who had led her upstairs to her bedroom, later returning with a large bowl of venison stew and a hearty tankard of mead.

Indis had downed both in record time, famished from her long journey. Locking her door, she stripped down to her smallclothes and stretched out on the small bed, her mind frantically working over everything that had already happened. The guards shaking her down at the gate. That big, burly Nord who had accosted her on her way in. Brynjolf.

Now she understood what Bjorlam had meant when he told her to be careful in Riften.

* * *

The following morning, Indis had set out hoping to find someone who would give her work. She had inquired with Keerava about who she should ask, and as she set out towards the marketplace seeking those that had been mentioning.

A few hours later, Indis felt incredibly hopeless as every single lead she had regarding employment turned out to be a dead end. Neither the Black-Briar Meader nor the Riften Fishery nor the Bee and Barb were hiring workers, and those who owned stalls in the marketplace had told her that they had no need of hiring anyone else. She had turned to the resident blacksmith Balimund, and that had looked promising until he asked her to smith an iron dagger. Indis had learned a little bit from Alvor, the smith in Riverwood, but the few pieces she had crafted had turned out to be awkwardly made and poor in quality. After nervously presently what slightly resembled a weapon of some kind, Balimund had cocked his eyebrow and muttered that she "ought to stick to her day job, and stop embarrassing herself and bringing shame to blacksmiths everywhere".

Currently, she was leaning over a railing, staring down into the canal below. Nothing else to do here, it would seem.

_Unless…_Indis propped her head up, resting her chin on a tiny little balled up fist. There was one more option, an option she had pushed to the back of her mind. Brynjolf did say to find him if she changed her mind. What he had proposed was completely, definitely, absolutely illegal, but she needed money.

_Just this once. Just this once. _Was her mantra as she weaved her way through the crowd at the marketplace, finding herself at Brynjolf's stall.

He looked pleased, yet surprised, as she shyly made her way towards him.

"Alright then, lass. Glad to see you reconsidered my offer. Let me know when you're ready to get this started and I'll begin the distraction," he said, smiling.

"May I ask a question?"

"Certainly, lass."

"How am I supposed to do all of this exactly?"

* * *

After listening to the finer details of Brynjolf's scheme, Indis nonchalantly walked over in the direction of Madesi's stall, hands clasped tight around the fistful of lockpicks he had slipped into her palm, green eyes surveying the scene.

Brynjolf had called for the attention of everyone around, and she watched as those nearby, guards included, flitted towards him, intrigued by his smooth, charming sales pitch.

_The man sure does have a way with words,_ she silently admitted to herself, scanning the crowd one last time before crouching down behind Madesi's standing, palms sweating and heart racing as she fumbled with the lockpicks. She had to be quick, knowing that Brynjolf's scheme would only hold people's attention for a limited time. Indis gently worked the pick, heart nearly stopping when yet another pick snapped in half. _You may not have done this much before, but you've got this,_ she frantically told herself, nearly shrieking with joy with the lock opened, allowing her to slide the little door on the cart open. There was a small strongbox that contained the ring she was supposed to plant on Brand-Shei. The second lock she had to get to wasn't nearly as difficult as the first, popping open to reveal an assortment of gems and jewelry. The ring was the primary target, but Indis found her hands grabbing everything inside, quickly stuffing the loot inside her pockets.

Furtively peeking over the edge of the stall, she was relieved to find that Brynjolf still had the attention of the crowd. Standing up, she made her way over to the dark elf that Brynjolf had pointed out earlier, working on a plan to get the ring in his pocket and out of hers. The silver felt hot to the touch as she twirled it around her finger, as she silently crept up behind Brand-Shei, delicately slipping the piece of jewelry into his pocket, careful not to draw his attention, slinking backwards as quickly as she could. As soon as she was a safe distance away from Brand-Shei, she gave a brief nod to Brynjolf, signaling that she had finished.

After the crowd had dispersed, Indis found her way back back to Bryjolf.

"Well done, lass! With the way things have been going around here, it's a relief that our little plan went off without a hitch. Seems I hired the right person for the job," he said, smiling as he handed her a large coin purse. "I think you've got what it takes to make it in my organization, lass. If you're interested, find me in a tavern called the Ragged Flagon in the Ratway. Be careful on your way down. I'll be waiting."

* * *

Upon returning to her room at the Bee and Barb, Indis had quickly dumped the contents of the coin purse and her pockets out on the bed, eager to inspect her earnings. A number of rubies, sapphires, and amethysts lay nestled in the furs next to a variety of necklaces and rings which were dotted with gemstones. Next, she dumped out the contents of the coin purse out on the bed, fingers nimbly counting the coins out.

"One hundred Septims?" she whispered to herself incredulously, unable to believe the amount she had earned, honestly surprised. It was more than she had earning in a month working at the Sleeping Giant Inn, and it had been so…simple. Her mind whirled as she pressed her hand to her temples and closed her eyes, trying to fully grasp the amount of wealth that was lying at her feet. Her heart had eventually calmed, the post-high flush had faded from her cheeks, and Indis had gradually winded down after the events in the marketplace, but after counting out her newfound wealth, she noticed that the rapid rhythm and heated flush had returned.

Getting up, Indis pulled back the curtains to her window and glanced outside. It was only mid-afternoon, so she still had plenty of time to make her way to the Ragged Flagon.

_I'll just go talk to him, see what he has to say. That's all. Just going to go talk to him,_ she told herself as she silently chewed her lip, raking her spoils into her knapsack and grabbing her bow, not wanting to leave them behind while she sought out Brynjolf.

* * *

The sewers. Brynjolf had directed her to the sewers. Shaking it off, she readied her bow, just in case. He had told her to be careful, so she went in expecting trouble.

"All I'm saying is I don't think it's wise to be treadin' on th' Guild. That's all," said an irritated voice.

"Don't worry about the Guild, let me handle this. Now, go stand by the door, and if you catch anyone comin' in, you take care of 'em, hear?"

The first man grunted in response, making his way towards the entrance, causing Indis to duck into a shallow alcove. Her stomach churned at the thought of killing someone, so that wasn't a route she wanted to take.

_It's you or them, Indis. Sneak past if you can, but you may have to defend yourself. Self-defense. Nothing wrong with that, _she silently told herself, pulling an arrow from her quiver, hoping she didn't have to use it.

She peeked around the corner of the alcove, searching for the positions of the two men. One was leaning against the wall, arms crossed with his back to her, with the other stretched out on a bedroll. Indis silently crept further into the Ratway, hugging the wall, never taking her eyes off the man lying on the bedroll. Indis hadn't realized that she was holding her breath until she rounded the corner and let out a massive exhale.

Jumping down a ledge, she followed the path to a door, where she was nearly impaled by spikes that shot out horizontally across the doorway, jumping back, barely making it. She continued to creep along quietly, taking out a skeever in one room before moving onto the next. Indis had thought she was doing well moving along quietly, but a sharp, grating sound as she accidentally kicked a shovel her eyes had missed.

The sudden sound had alerted the man in the room, a huge beast in rags, who came barreling at Indis with fury in his eyes as he raised his fists. Stumbling backwards, she grasped for an arrow, and managed to release to release it right before his fist made contact with her head. The arrow pierced his chest, and he crashed to the ground. Heart thudding and knees trembling, she lowered her bow, taking a step forward, cautiously inspecting him. He was dead.

_It was him or you. Him or you, _she thought to herself. _At least there isn't any blood._

Indis continued on, the only other obstacles Indis faced were another trap that was narrowly avoided, in addition to another Ratway dweller that attacked her on sight. Twisting another doorknob open, Indis stepped into what looked like a very rundown tavern.

* * *

"I'm telling you Brynjolf, give it up. Those days are over. You're all a part of a dyin' breed," said a thickly accented voice, clearly exasperated with the redheaded Nord.

"Well then. If that's the case, then what do you call that?" Brynjolf said, turning to Indis and gesturing to her. "Color me impressed, lass. You made it here in one piece."

"It was easy. No problems," she lied.

"Reliable and headstrong? Well, well. You're turning out to be quite the prize. Now that you've made it down here, fancy taking care of some deadbeats for me?"

* * *

"They didn't pay their debts," Indis said aloud to herself, words and justification of what she was about to do slipping out easily, ignoring the fact that she was about to go hustle some coin out of merchants for the bloody Thieves Guild.

Her first target was Keerava, and taking Brynjolf's advice, she sought out Talen-Jei to squeeze information before approaching the Argonian barmaid. Brynjolf was right, she was stubborn, but the sly, threatening, dirty mention of her family's farm in Morrowind made her nervous, fumbling, apologetic as she handed over the money she owed the Guild.

Haelga was her next target. Slipping into the bunkhouse, she glanced about, searching for the golden Dibella statue that had been mentioned as something that might make the woman cave quickly. Snatching the statue, she waved it around as menacingly as a tiny Imperial woman could, threatening to drop it in the bottom of Lake Honrich, until Haelga threw a coin purse at her spitting out that she hoped that they all choked on the gold.

Pockets growing heavy with coin, Indis made her way to the Pawned Prawn, location of the last target she needed to shake down. She had been told to smash a Dwarven urn in the shop to bits and pieces if Bersei Honey-hand refused to pay up, but Indis found that as soon as she entered, a balding, frantic man was practically shoving a coin purse in her hands, asking her to please apologize to Brynjolf.

* * *

"Nicely done, lass. No bloodshed, and you got the payments, too. Here," he said, pushing a coin purse and a few potion bottles across the small table towards her, a pleased smile on his face. "Given how you handled yourself in the marketplace and with those merchants, I'd say larceny is in your blood. What do you say, lass? Ready to officially become a member of the Thieves Guild?"

* * *

**Indis, Indis, Indis. Getting into all kinds of messes. Ready yourselves, because Indis is going to meet a certain dashing Dunmer sellsword on Solstheim. Once again, thanks for reading! I send love, cookies, and hugs to all that read and review. Just pretend you've got the hugs and the cookies, aight? Once again, thank you all so much for reading and leaving comments! :)**


	9. Solstheim, Ho!

Weaving her way through the busy Riften marketplace, Indis found her usual place, leaning on a wall by The Scorched Hammer. When she had first joined the Guild nearly three months ago, Brynjolf had told her he wanted her out in the marketplace to work on her pickpocketing and watch the daily patterns of the residents, and that was where she found herself most days. The position was ideal, allowing her to not only see the entire comings and goings of the market, but also gave her an excellent view of all the major paths. Earning the position had been difficult, though.

When she had first attempted to spend her days leaning against the wall by the forge, Indis was run off repeatedly by the blacksmith Balimund, who would frequently bellow that he didn't need her kind of thieving rabble around his business, and after a few weeks of this, Indis nearly gave up on obtaining her coveted surveillance position. But after overhearing him tell his apprentice that he needed something called fire salts, Indis had obtained a satchel full of them from the alchemist and the court wizard when eyes weren't on her. He had raised an eyebrow when she tossed him the small bag, but he hadn't tried to run her off since, and had even tolerated her attempts to make conversation and gossip with him.

"Did you know that Nivenor is cheating on Bolli?" she asked, turning to him. "I read it in a letter. Bolli had her followed and apparently, she's sleeping with several men."

"No, I didn't. Indis, it's one thing to go into people's houses and take what doesn't belong to you, but to read their private letters and journals, that's a whole 'nother thing," Balimund grumbled, setting to work on the grindstone.

Indis was used to his frequent jabs at her profession of choice, and always chose to ignore them. "Who are they? What do you think?" Indis asked, enjoying the idle gossip far too much for her own good.

"I think that you talk entirely too much, know that?" he muttered. "Now move over, unless you want to get showered in sparks."

Indis scooted along the wall away from the forge, eyes scanning the crowd for any new unsuspecting faces to target when her thoughts were interrupted by a loud rumble of thunder. She sighed, beginning to make her way back to the Ratway. So much for picking up a few things from the crowd today.

"You can stand under here," a voice called out. "As long as you don't get in my way."

"You're getting soft," Indis said with a smile as she made herself comfortable on top of his workbench. "Letting me work from under here instead of running me off."

"The workbench ain't for sittin'," Balimund said, motioning for her to get down.

"Then why is the word 'bench' in it?"

Balimund grunted as he began pumping the bellows to the forge, giving her a stern look, but doing nothing to make move.

Indis propped her chin on a fist and sighed loudly.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she lied.

"Folk don't go around with those big, long, dramatic sighs unless something is wrong and they want someone to ask 'em what's wrong. Now, what's the matter?" he asked.

"I just…" she said, trailing off, uncertain about how much she should share. "I miss a close friend, one of the first people I met when I came to Skyrim. And…and I want bigger jobs for the Guild, but I keep getting assigned work here in Riften."

"Then go see your friend, and go tell whoever you gotta tell at the Guild you want better jobs," he said nonchalantly. "Simple. Now, you really do have to get down. I've got some armor to work on."

* * *

Indis found her way back to the Flagon, spotting the redheaded Nord she needed to talk to sitting at a small table, quietly sipping a mug of ale.

"Brynjolf," she said, trying to sound confident, assertive. "I think, wait, I know that I'm ready to take on bigger jobs. Jobs that are at least outside of Riften."

"Whoa there, lass. Calm down there," he said, looking up at her. "If you think you're so ready to handle some work outside of Riften, go talk to Delvin and Vex. If you pull those off without mucking things up, who knows, maybe even Mercer will have something for you."

* * *

"You remember how to do a shill job, right? Good," Vex said disinterestedly as Indis nodded. "I haven't gotten around to doing this myself, but the client is getting restless. Glad to have someone to do it for me. The target is Viola Giordano, some busybody up in Windhelm. I don't know why they want her to spend a few days in jail, and I don't care. They're paying us well to do this, so don't muck it up. Take this necklace plant it somewhere in her house, don't make it too difficult to find, though, and then tip off a guard. Now, get to it."

Indis took the extravagant gold necklace that Vex held out to her, clenching it in her hand tightly as she made her way over to Delvin. Windhelm? Perfect!

Upon arriving at his table, the chubby Breton looked up at her with a smile. "Ahh, good to see you. Pull up a seat. Now, Brynjolf said you were lookin' for some work outside of Riften?"

"That I am," Indis said, sliding into the chair across from him. "Got anything good?"

"I've got something a little different, something a little more personal in mind, actually. Ever been to Solstheim, an island off the coast of Morrowind?"

Indis shook her head. She'd heard of the place, but Whiterun hold was as far north as she'd ever gone.

"The Guild has a contact out there who 'as been havin' a bit of trouble for a while now, and if you could fix whatever this issue is, I'd be grateful. Talk to the blacksmith Glover, and he'll tell you what needs to be done. Oh, and since it's not an official job for the Guild, I can't pay you for it. So, why don't you go ahead and run a bedlam job while you're out there in Raven Rock? Now, off you go."

* * *

**I played around with the TG questline a bit. I always thought it was a little weird that Brynjolf plucks you randomly off the street, and then you don't do much before Mercer gives you a really important job. But, Goldenglow should be coming up soon, as well as an introduction to the Dawnguard. Thanks for reading. :)**


	10. A Brief Interlude

Indis had always regretted not going north to find Ralof sooner until she actually set foot in Windhelm. Sharp, blistering gusts of wind blew thick, wet snowflakes into her face, and Indis pulled the hood of her Guild armor tighter around her head, sorely wishing that she had a thick fur cloak, or at least some gloves.

_Why is it so damn cold here?_ Indis thought to herself as she made her way through the gates at the entrance of the city, trying her best to ignore the two Nords harassing a Dunmer woman, accusing her of being a spy. Shaking her head, Indis brushed her windblown auburn hair out of her face and headed toward what looked like the inn. Pushing the heavy wooden door open, she was more than happy to feel the rush of heat hit her face. Making her way over to the barmaid, Indis paid for a room and asked where she might be able to find a woman named Viola.

"She lives over in the Stone Quarter, but I don't think she spends too much time there. You're more likely to find her out wandering somewhere, trying to get someone to listen to her rabble and gossip about the butcher. Now, if you'll follow me to your room I'll help you get settled down."

* * *

Finding Viola Giordano's house had been easy enough, and with a few quick, furtive glances over both shoulders, Indis crouched down and got to work on the rather difficult lock, silently cursing those who put stronger locks on their houses. After a few failed attempts and broken lockpicks, Indis heard the telltale satisfying click of an opening lock, and twisted the knob, gingerly trespassing inside Viola Giordano's house. Indis peeked around the doorway, ears pricked and listening for any indication the owner was inside.

Indis crept through the door, softly shutting it behind her, thankful that her Guild boots muffled her footsteps. She pulled the damning necklace out of her pocket, and pulled open an end table near the entrance to the house, laying the stolen jewelry on top of the pile of papers inside. Indis slipped back outside onto the cold streets of Windhelm, taking care to make sure that there wasn't anyone around to witness her leaving a home that wasn't hers. Now, all that was left was to tip off a guard. Easy enough.

She wandered through the city streets, keeping her eyes open for a member of the Windhelm guard, walking briskly over towards the first man of the guard she saw, who was more than happy to accept her tip, completely oblivious to the fact that she was in Thieves Guild armor.

"Thank you for the tip, miss. I'll gather some of the guard, and we'll be sure to investigate this right away. It's thanks to upstanding citizens like you that Windhelm stays safe. Now, is there anything else I can help you with?

"Er, actually, yes," Indis said hesitantly, unsure of whether or not she should ask. "Do you know a Ralof of Riverwood?"

"Aye, I do!" the guard replied enthusiastically. "Are you a friend? If you'd like, I can go find him for you. He's probably in the barracks."

"Oh, uh, no, no…that's ok," Indis said quickly, backing away rapidly. "So sorry to trouble you!"

* * *

Back at the inn, Indis was more than happy to get out of her cold, wet, soggy armor and into some drier clothing. She hung up her armor on the wardrobe in the room, hoping it would be dried out by morning when she left for Solstheim. Slipping into a blue waistcoat that had been a gift from Brynjolf, Indis hopped into her bed, stretching out, savoring the comfort.

"Well, well. I couldn't belief it when Tolgan came into the barracks and said that this little Imperial woman came around asking for me, but here you are," said a thickly accented voice.

"Ralof!" Indis cried out enthusiastically, jumping off the bed, happily accepting the embrace he offered. "It's so good to see you."

"It's good to see you, too. I've missed you, Indis," he said softly, taking a step back. "It's been a while! What have you been doing? Still in Riften? Have you missed me?" he said with a teasing wink.

_What have I been doing? Riften, oh Gods! He's going to see my Guild armor!_ Indis thought frantically, going into a silent frenzy, mind working furiously as to how she could make sure he didn't see the armor of her profession. Impulsively, uncertain of what else to do, she grabbed Ralof's arms and attempted to spin him around so that he was facing the doorway. Unfortunately, one of his feet accidentally caught on hers, and he ended up tumbling backwards into her bed.

"I'm going to go ahead and take that as a yes," Ralof said, sounding surprised, yet pleased.

"What? Wait, no! I mean, yes, I did miss you, but uhh, I just thought you looked tired and might like to lie down," she stammered, hoping he bought the lie.

"Aye, that I am. I can't remember the last time I've slept in, much less seen a real bed. It's been a cold bedroll on the hard earth or a worn cot," Ralof said laying back and stretching out with a sigh.

"How is the war going?" Indis asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed and crossing her legs.

"Going? It hadn't been really going at all," Ralof replied with a sigh. "Ever since I've returned, it seems that the fight has come to a standstill, or at least died down a good deal. I've been out on patrols, but haven't run into any Imperials, just bandits and brigands. Anyway, enough about me. Why did you never write?"

"The road goes both ways, Ralof! You never wrote me either," Indis huffed indignantly before pausing. "I…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gotten angry. I guess I just got busy and time got away from me, I suppose."

"Fair enough, fair enough. So, what brings you to this fine city?"

"Fine city? The whole place is frozen and miserable! I don't know how you stand it here. Anyway, I was just stopping here on my way to Solstheim."

"Solstheim?" Ralof asked curiously, sitting up. "What are you going to Solstheim for? I've heard all kinds of wretched things about that island."

"Business," she replied simply. "Just taking care of something for a friend, that's all."

"Business, eh? Well, if you'd like, I could take some of my days of leave and travel with you. I've heard Solstheim is a dangerous place, and I'd feel better if you weren't going there alone. I-if you'd like, that is."

* * *

**There you have it, short and sweet. Should she take Ralof up on his offer? Solstheim is a pretty weird place, after all... **

**Anyway, thank you so much for taking a look at my little fic; as always, reviews are welcome and quite appreciated! :)**


	11. Out in the Open

A large wave broke on the hull of the _Northern Maiden_, sending icy spray all over Indis, who had been leaning on the ship's railing. Raising both hands to wipe icy seawater from her face, she was nearly thrown backwards as another rough wave jostled the ship, but was caught.

"Whoa, easy there!" Ralof said, helping her steady herself.

"Good to see you. Finally decided to join me up here?" she teased.

Ralof smiled and nodded, still looking a little green. He had spent the two days since they left the port in Windhelm below deck in his bed. "Sorry I haven't been around much."

"No worries," Indis replied. "It's not like you've been missing much up here. Are you feeling better, though?"

"Aye," he said before joining her against the railing, pointing off into the distance. "See that there? I think that's Solstheim."

* * *

Upon their arrival, Indis and Ralof found that there wasn't much to Raven Rock. The settlement was chock full of abandoned buildings and sparse with settlers, and it didn't take long for Indis to spot the blacksmith she was supposed to be meeting with.

"Why don't you…go find out where we can get some food and board? I'll go ahead and take care of some business," she said awkwardly, adjusting her waistcoat.

Ralof frowned. "You don't want me to come with you?"

"No, no. Just…go find us someplace to stay, alright?" Indis replied hurriedly.

"Fine. I can at least take your bag for you," he offered, stretching a hand out.

"No!" Indis said quickly, clutching her bag tighter to her. As much as she would like to be rid of her heavy bag, she couldn't risk Ralof finding her Guild armor inside. Besides, she needed a place to put everything she pinched for Delvin. "I can handle it. I'll just find you later, alright?"

He withdrew his hand, noticeably tensing as he turned away from her without a word, making his way in the opposite direction towards what appeared to be a tavern or inn. She had no qualms about her business here, but she had a feeling he might. He seemed like a straight-edge man for the most part. Indis sighed, trudging towards the bustling center of the town. She would have to apologize to him later, chalking up her strange behavior as an after effect of their voyage, or something along those lines

Weaving her way through the large crowd of Dunmer, Indis scanned the area. She had already found the blacksmith, but now she needed to find some decent items to swipe. She had heard someone mention something about some family, the Severins, being away from their manor for a while. That would be perfect.

After a bit of investigating, Indis found the home of the absent family, crouching down by the door and fumbling through her bag for her lockpicks. One last glance around to make sure she was in the clear, she set to work on the lock, and before she knew it, she was stepping inside the manor.

Hoisting her bag up further onto her shoulders, she gave a quick once over to the top level. It didn't look like much was up on the horseshoe shaped landing above the stairs, so Indis set downwards towards the bedrooms. Nothing too big, she reminded herself. She would have to travel back with it.

In the first room she came upon, Indis found a few rings and necklaces sitting out. Quickly grabbing them, she stuffed them into her knapsack before leaving the bedroom and making her way towards the alchemy nook that the residents had set up. Shelves were overflowing with rare ingredients and powerful potions and it took every last bit of self-control to not snatch up everything in sight. After a few moments of consideration, she cleared out every last bit fire salts, knowing that Balimund would appreciate them, even if he would give her a lecture about taking things that didn't belong to her.

Making her way into the master bedroom, Indis found her way over to a wall of closed glass display cabinets, peering inside. Elven daggers! Grabbing a pair, Indis excitedly, delicately wrapped them in a tunic she grabbed that was draped across a nearby chair. Those would come in handy. She'd have to get Brynjolf, or somebody else in the Guild, to show her some proper dagger technique.

After one final sweep through her target's belongings, Indis gingerly opened the front door a few inches and looked out, since it wouldn't do any good for someone to be seen coming out of a house that was supposed to be empty. The road was empty, and Indis quietly made her way to the road, and back towards the marketplace. Surreptitiously swiping a few small objects off a few vendor tables, Indis decided that she had swiped enough, and that it was time to talk to the blacksmith.

"Are you Glover? I, uh, I was sent by Delvin," Indis said, approaching the Breton at his workbench. "Said that you, well, the Guild, had an issue that needed taking care of out here?"

"It's about damn time Delvin got somebody out here! It's been months! You'd think he'd move to help his own brother a little faster."

Indis blinked. "Brother?"

"Delvin never mentioned that the one having the issues out here was his brother? Ah well. How's ol' Delvin doing? Still spending all of his time down in the Ragged Flagon, trying to win Vex's heart?"

Indis paused, thinking back to Delvin's attempts to flirt, Vex's brutally snarky comebacks, and the note she found addressed to him, in which Vex threatened to cut off his most valuable asset. "He's…well."

"Good. Now, we'd best be getting down to business. See, a couple of months back I met a fellow Breton by the name of Esmond Tyne. He pointed out the Shadowmark on my door, and he made me think he was like us," he said gesturing back and forth between them. "You know, part o' the Guild. Anyway, he made off with my formula for perfecting Bonemold, and I'd like you to get that back for me. That son of a bitch stole what I've been working for _years_ to perfect," he spat out testily.

"Any idea where he went, or might have gone?"

"Last I heard, he was goin' off to fence some goods to the Rieklings at Castle Karstaag. Crazy fool to even bother with those crazy, vicious little buggers. I'd check there first, and if I were you, I wouldn't go alone. Too dangerous. There's a damn good spellsword you can find in the cornerclub, The Retching Netch. His name is Teldryn Sero. Dunmer fellow that wears all chitin armor. I'd hire him if I were you."

* * *

Stepping inside The Retching Netch, Indis found the mercenary that Glover had told her about sitting at a table near the fire. As she approached him, he perked up and straightened his shoulders.

"Teldryn Sero, blade for hire. The best swordsman in all of Morrowind, at your service," he rasped, crossing his arms.

"Best swordsman in all of Morrowind? That's quite the claim," Indis replied, cocking an eyebrow. "And…how much would the best swordsman cost me?"

"500 Septims."

"What the?!" Indis choked out, scarcely able to believe the cost. "500 bloody Septims? Are you serious?"

"That's my price," he said, shrugging.

Indis gnawed on her lip. She had Ralof, but neither of them knew their way around the island. Plus, if these Riekling beasts were as bad as Glover said, they might need all the help they could get. Opening her knapsack, she pulled out a massive coin purse.

"You'd better be worth it, that's all I can say," she said, tossing the coin purse to him. "It should all be there. Let's meet back here at dawn. Be ready to go then."

Turning away from the mercenary, Indis found her way downstairs and towards the bar. This appeared to be the only place with lodgings in Raven Rock, so she assumed this was where she could find Ralof.

"Er, excuse me," she said, approaching the bartender. "Did a blonde Nord fellow come in here earlier?"

"He did, rented a room. It's down the hall, farthest one on the left."

After thanking the bartender, Indis set down the hallway, trying to figure out what she should say to him to explain her odd behavior earlier. She quickly chose the option to ignore it unless he brought it up.

Softly knocking on the door, she peeked into the room. "Ralof? Sorry about taking so long, would you like t-"

"Indis, we need to talk," Ralof said standing up. "What was that earlier, running off like that? Ever since I've met you, it's always seemed like you've been hiding something, like you tell parts of the truth, but never the whole thing. And now…now it just seems like it's gotten worse."

"I-I was just tired from the voyage, that's all," she lied, hoping he would buy it. He didn't.

"You're lying," he accused, stepping towards her. "What are we doing here? What were you doing that was so important that you didn't want me there, that you had to run off alone, acting like you're about to run off an rob somebody?"

Indis froze, clutching her bag tightly to her, frantically trying to think of a response, a lie about where she really was and what she had been doing, but failed, leaving a heavy, awkward silence between them.

"You…you weren't really robbing someone…were you?" He asked incredulously, his eyes searching over her.

She remained silent, eyes downcast, unable to meet his, as she continued to grip her bag of spoils so hard that her knuckles turned a ghostly white.

"Indis. Indis, tell me the truth," he said softly. "Please," he added hopefully.

Taking a step forward, she dumped the contents of her bag out onto the large bed, sending her Thieves Guild armor, as well as everything she had nicked earlier that afternoon, tumbling out onto the bed. Everything, out in the open. No hiding now.

"I didn't want you to know. I…I didn't want you to think less of me," she stuttered lamely, looking at him, hoping he would say something. He didn't.

"I joined up right after I arrived in Riften. I couldn't find any work elsewhere, and it just…it was the only thing that came along and it pays so well…" she trailed off, looking at him, searching for a reaction.

Ralof remained silent, his eyes still on what she had dumped onto the bed.

"Please say something," she choked, eyes tearing up.

"You're…a _thief_?" he asked, obvious contempt seeping into his voice. "Just some common lowlife? You've become criminal scum? You break into people's houses and take what doesn't belong to you? You pick their pockets?"

"Ralof, please," she said reaching out and touching his arm, flinching when he sharply jerked away from her touch. Ralof backed away from her, grabbing his bag as he threw the door wide open.

"Wh-where are you going?" she asked, her voice cracking.

"I'm leaving. I thought you were better than this, Indis," he said, disgusted as he slammed the door behind him.

Unable to think, unable to do anything else, Indis collapsed to the floor, bursting into tears.


	12. Barrels and Bonemold

He hadn't come back; which, if Indis was being perfectly honest with herself, wasn't the tiniest bit surprising. She had sobbed on the floor for what seemed like an age, before she was too exhausted to even cry anymore. Indis hadn't moved from the floor, and had eventually fallen asleep there.

The bustling sounds of early morning in the inn stirred her from her uncomfortable slumber, and she stretched her aching muscles, rubbing the knot that formed in her neck overnight. Perhaps falling asleep on the floor hadn't been her finest idea. Standing up, she shrugged off her waistcoat and tunic, replacing it with her Thieves Guild armor. After tugging on her boots and gloves, Indis lugged her knapsack over her back, grabbed her bow and headed out the door to find Teldryn.

"Ahh, good morning. You look a little worse for the wear, you know. Sleep alright, or no? Maybe a bit of sujamma? You'll feel better, I can guarantee it," Teldryn asked as she slid into the seat across from him. He pushed a plate of what appeared to be yams and some kind of fried meat.

"Sujamma? It's 7 o'clock in the morning, for the love of Akatosh," she grumbled, in no mood chatter with anyone.

"Where are we off to first?" he asked, ignoring her sour tone.

"Castle Karstaag."

He paused. Indis couldn't read his face because of that chitin helmet that he had yet to take off, but she could _feel_ him raise an eyebrow. "Why there?"

"Just some business," she said moodily, hoping that her tone would discourage questions.

"Thieves Guild business?" he asked in a rough drawl, raising a hand to gesture at her armor.

"Yes," she mumbled. "Does it bother you?"

"No," he replied, shrugging as he took a bite of his yams. "Now, please. Have some sujamma. Some spirits to raise your spirits, for your sake, and mine."

* * *

Teldryn was right, the sujamma had made her feel a lot more pleasant, a lot more amiable, and a lot chattier. Teldryn had pointed out a number of paths that they could take, but he believed that they would find less trouble if they headed north along the coast.

"How did you end up on Solstheim?" she asked, breaking the silence that had fallen between them hours ago as they left the outermost limits of Raven Rock.

"I came back here after I left my last employer. He was one of those very traditional Nord types," he replied.

"No, I don't know. Tell me," she said, slightly slurred. Perhaps drinking that much before a long, arduous journey had been a bad idea.

"Complete madman, with an insatiable bloodlust. Wore warpaint, all kinds of animal skins, an absolutely brutal employer. One of the most difficult that I've ever had, actually."

"Then why did you stay with him for so long?"

"Simple. He paid well. Very, very well."

"Why'd you leave him then, if he paid so well?"

"Shortly before I left his service, we were clearing out this abandoned ruined fort near Whiterun. We had thought that all the bandits inside were taken care of, when we saw one mount his horse and gallop away. My employer wasn't the kind to leave a job unfinished, so we pursued, for three bloody days."

"And…what happened then?"

"We stumbled across the largest bandit encampment that I had ever laid eyes upon. He turned to me with the most frenzied eyes and manic grin I'd ever seen. At that moment I knew I'd never see him again. There is no sum of money that would be worth that kind of death."

"Oh. Uh, well, I promise I won't put you into a situation like that."

"Says the woman who is dragging me to a ruin that is crawling with Rieklings," he replied sarcastically. "Speaking of which, see that small encampment up there? That's Broken Tusk Mine. There are some up there, and I think they may have spotted us. Be prepared for a fight."

Teldryn was right, the Rieklings had spotted them, and the tiny little blue skinned creatures had begun to bound toward Teldryn and Indis, tiny little legs closing the distance as they hurled spears towards them. Teldryn leapt forward, sword gleaming in one hand, flames spewing forth from the other as he slashed and burned. Indis focused her aim on the little beasts that were greater distance away, steel arrows handily piercing their tiny bodies. After a few minutes, they lowered their weapons, assessing the Riekling camp, their chests still heaving from the brief battle earlier.

"You're not so bad with that bow," he said, turning towards her as he sheathed his sword. "Let's set up camp here, and head to Castle Karstaag in the morning once we've had our rest."

Indis set her knapsack and bow down, and set out to explore the rest of the camp. On the furthest edge from the camp Indis spotted a chest and began to make her way over towards it, crouching down and pulling out some lockpicks. This one didn't look too difficult; maybe she'd find something worthwhile inside. Indis had narrowed her focus, and the lock was so close to opening when the two barrels on either side of the chest burst open, and a handful of Rieklings pounced on her.

"Teldryn!" she shrieked, kicking the little things off her body as she tried to crawl away, heart pounding as she realized that she was almost back at her bow. She reached out, her fingertips brushing against her weapon, only to be pulled back as some of the vicious little beasts yanked her back hard by her ponytail, clawing furiously at her body.

She had been so certain that this was how it would end; she would die pathetically, kicking and flailing after being torn to pieces by Rieklings, when a burst of fire knocked the Rieklings off of her. From her position on the ground she watched Teldryn chase down the remaining Rieklings, cutting them down before making his way back to her.

"Are you alright?" he asked, hoisting her up onto her feet, leading her towards the small camp he had been setting up. "It looks like those nasty little buggers tore you up badly. No worries, I know a few healing spells."

Indis sat on the ground by the fire, pulling her hood over her face, feeling incredibly embarrassed. Teldryn sat down across from her, pulling off his gloves and removing his helmet before pulling her hood down and moving some of her hair out of the way, running a fingertip over the deep scratches on her face and neck while inspecting the damage.

"Now," he said, a tiny golden glow forming in his palms. "I know a bit of restoration magic, but not much. Luckily, they didn't get your eyes or hit an artery, but…I don't know if you'll have scars or not. Do try to stay as still as possible."

Indis straightened her back, trying her best to not move as the warm, restoration magic set to work, knitting flesh back together. Opening her eyes, she studied the man in front of her. She had been wondering when he would take off that hidous, bug-like helmet that had remained firmly plastered to his head. Teldryn was a Dunmer, his slate grey skin given a slight golden hue by the dancing firelight. A tattoo as red as his eyes snaked its way across his face, the pattern dotting its way across his cheeks and chin. Crow's feet extended from the corners of his eyes and dark stubbled covered his face. His dark hair had been cut into a Mohawk, leaving the grey tips of his long ears fully exposed.

Indis found herself enjoying the sight, grateful he had decided to remove his helmet during the process. He was quite handsome.

"There we go, all done. Looks like there's going to be one scar across your cheek, but the rest seem to have vanished. Now, about that hair," he said.

"What about it?" she asked, her voice growing shrill, defenses rising. Indis knew exactly what he was saying, what had to be done with her long locks, since they were the very reason she didn't make it to her bow.

"A great deal needs to be cut off, princess, unless you want some horrible fiend to drag you off by it…again," he replied, flipping his dagger over in his hand. "Your choice."

"Fine. Just…don't cut it too short, alright?"

"Don't get angry," he had said, a few minutes after she gave him permission to cut her hair. "But…I believe I might have gotten a bit carried away. Just a bit."

Indis reached a hand up, grabbing at her hair. He had taken it all the way up to her chin, and just from the feel of it, the length wasn't entirely even. She sighed, picking up a chunk lying on the snow. Silently reeling, she quickly reminded herself that hair down to her buttocks was most impractical in battle situations before speaking.

"It's fine. How do I look?"

He crouched down in front of her. "With the scar…you look older. Tougher. Like a little warrior, instead of some fat Lord's daughter."

"Teldryn, thank you. For saving my life, for healing me, and then cutting my hair, even though I think it probably looks terrible. You've already proven yourself to be worth every Septim."

"I knew you'd warm up to me. Now, sleep. Then, we're off to Karstaag in the morning."

* * *

"By the Eight," Indis gasped, eyes wide as she took in the sight of the frozen Karstaag ruins, crouched next to Teldryn as she surveyed the area. The place was crawling with Rieklings, Glover hadn't been lying about that. Fortunately, it seemed that they could be avoided. The Rieklings had set up camp on the upper levels, but while she had scouted the site, she had noticed the body of a Breton on a chunk of ice. That had to be Esmond Tyne.

"See the small ledge of ice connected to the one that the body is on? I'm going to sneak out there, and see if he has what I need. Wait here, it shouldn't take long."

"I'll have your back," Teldryn replied with a nod, placing his hand on the hilt of his Elven sword.

Indis crept out onto the ice slowly, eyes alert as she slowly shuffled along, keeping close to the wall. The ice crunched quietly under her feet, and she found herself looking up frequently to see if she had attracted the attention of any of the castle's inhabitants. So far, so good. She softly padded onto the chunk of ice, searching the dead man's pockets, emptying them as quickly as she could. Her eyes fell to a piece of paper, and she quickly snatched it up and flipped it open, seeing if this was what she had come for. After seeing the words 'Bonemold Formula', she slipped it into her pocket and began to make her way back to Teldryn, finally breathing normally once the two were back outside in Solstheim.

"Get what we came for? What was it, anyway?"

"That dead fellow stole Glover Mallory's bonemold formula, and he asked me to get it back."

"Glover Mallory is involved with the Thieves Guild? Doesn't surprise me one bit."

"He is. Now, let's get this damned piece of paper back to him."

* * *

Upon returning to Raven Rock, Indis had returned the formula to a very grateful Glover Mallory, who had then placed a key into her palm, telling her to help herself to anything in his basement, that he wouldn't need it anymore. After letting herself into the small room, she began to inspect the area, mulling over what might be useful to take.

"Any time you want to head to Skyrim, I'm right behind you," Teldryn drawled, aimlessly flicking at the edges of a book.

Indis froze with her petite hand on a pile of lockpicks, turning her head towards him slightly. "You…want to come with me?"

"I do. I've been enjoying our time together."

"I'm a thief, you know."

"I know. That's already been established."

"I also live in a sewer."

"Really?"

"Sometimes I do stupid, dangerous things. Often, they're not entirely legal."

"Yes, yes. You revealed that when you took off to that ruined castle full of Rieklings."

"Still want to come with me?"

"Yes. That's what I've been saying."

Indis stood up, placing the last of the items she had chosen to take in her bag. "Well then. Shall we head to the docks?"

* * *

**Hold onto your butts, 'cause next chapter our incompetent heroine and her dashing elf companion meet...Serana!**


	13. The Woman in the Monolith

The blistering cold of Windhelm and thick snowfall was what greeted Indis and Teldryn as they made their way from the docks to the main city gates after their journey from Solstheim.

"I lived in the Grey Quarter here for a number of years. It's an awful, wretched place full of bitter Dunmer. Let's be done here, quickly."

"I'm with you, let's just find our way out of here and head to Riften," Indis grumbled, having no desire to stay in Windhelm. They might run into Ralof, and that was the last thing she wanted right now.

They made their way through the city, the sound of snow and ice crunching underneath their feet as they trudged up icy steps and through the narrow stone corridors as they made their way to the entrance of the city. From there, they agreed that they would make the short distance to the stables and hire a carriage there. No sense in wearing themselves down as they trudged through snow.

"You there, interested in joining the Dawnguard?" asked an older Orsimer man, stepping in front of them.

"The what-guard?" Indis asked as she and Teldryn both stopped, taken aback.

"The Dawnguard. We're an order of vampire hunters, seeking to deal with this growing vampire menace. Are you interested in joining?"

"You kill vampires? Where do I sign up?" said jokingly as Teldryn nodded.

The Orismer laughed. "Isran will like you two. Recruits are to head to Fort Dawnguard, near Riften. It's near Stendarr's Beacon. Here, I'll mark it for you on your map."

After watching the man walk away, Indis rolled up the map and stuffed it into her bag before turning to Teldryn with a shrug.

"Oh, why not? Let's go and find this Fort Dawnguard and at least look into it."

* * *

"See that there? I think that might be it," Indis said, pointing to a large stone structure off in the distance. She and Teldryn had just entered Dayspring Canyon, the location that had been marked down on their map.

"Well, what an astute observation," Teldryn drawled. "I have such an intelligent employer."

"Don't be an ass. We were beginning to get along so nicely," she said, scowling at him. He was turning out to have quite the mouth on him, and during their journey from Solstheim she was already thinking of all the ways she could very quietly and discretely strangle him to death. Not that she would actually do it; it was just a nice fantasy to hold onto when he got obnoxious.

Making their way down the path, Indis noticed a very young, nervous Nord man pacing back and forth, muttering to himself. When he heard the sounds of their approach, he looked up and walked over towards them.

"Oh, hello there!" he called out enthusiastically, waving at them. "Are you here to join the Dawnguard too? Do you mind if I walk up there with you? To be honest…I'm a little nervous."

"Um, sure," Indis said as he fell into step beside them. "My name is Indis, and this is Teldryn. And you are?"

"Sorry! I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Agmaer, nice to meet you two. You both look pretty strong. I bet you've killed lots of vampires, huh?"

"Actually…no. Teldryn probably has, though. He _is_ the best swordsman in all of Morrowind, so I'm certain he's quite the vampire hunter," Indis said, turning slightly. He had put that ridiculous helmet back on again, but she could feel him glowering at her from beneath it.

"Wow! Well, it looks like we're here. You, uhh, go on ahead, alright? Oh, and if you don't tell Isran that I was nervous, I'd really appreciate it. Good luck in there."

* * *

"What do you want Tolan? You know the Vigilants and I are done. Our relationship was finished a long time ago," said a tall Redguard, the rich timbre of his voice echoing against the stone walls of the fort, grabbing Indis' full attention. That must be Isran. "So, I'll ask you again. Why are you here?"

"Isran, you know why I'm here. The Vigilants have been under attack everywhere we go. We can't handle it on our own, the vampire attacks are getting worse and worse," said a balding Nord, gesturing wildly, urgency creeping into his voice.

"Hah, and now look at you, running to safety with the Dawnguard with your tails between your legs like a bunch of whipped dogs," Isran said smugly, crossing his arms. "I clearly remember Keeper Carcette telling me that Fort Dawnguard was a crumbling, useless ruin, not worth the expense to rebuild and repair. Now that you've all stirred up the vampires against you, I'm guessing that's why you're here, isn't it? Need some help from the Dawnguard.

The balding man, Tolan, paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. "Isran…they're dead. All of them, Keeper Carcette included…the Hall of the Vigilants was attacked, destroyed by those monsters."

A brief flicker of surprise passed over Isran's face, before vanishing. "I'm sorry, you know. I never wanted any of this to happen, but I did warn you, you know. Now, you there," he said turning and striding toward Indis. "Who are you and what do you want?"

"I, uhh, want to, uhh, I'm here to join the Dawnguard, that's all," Indis squeaked out. The massive, bearded Redguard man looming over her was quite intimidating.

"So, you think you've got what it takes, hmm? I'll tell you what. I may have something for you to do. I need to work on getting the fort repaired and getting supplies, but I need someone who can be out there taking the fight to the damn things. Now, Tolan was just telling me about some old crypt that the Vigilants had been poking around before they were attacked. I think that would be a good place for you to start. Talk to him about what you need to get done, and then go see Celann about getting yourself set up," Isran said before turning his attention to Agmaer.

"One of my fellow Vigilants, Brother Adalvald thought that Dimhollow Crypt held some kind of powerful, lost vampire artifact. That's what he was looking into. He was at the Hall when it was attacked," Tolan said solemnly. "I'll meet you at Dimhollow. It's the least I can do to avenge my brothers and sisters. I'll see you there and…thank you."

Indis nodded, watching him walk away, before setting off to find Celann, the Breton that had greeted them at the doors of the fort. He was enthusiastic that Isran had found something for her to do, and he led her further into the fort, providing a small tour as well as handing her any items that he thought might be useful.

"Favor the bow? Well, here you go then. I think you'll find a crossbow useful. Here are some bolts. They're useful for taking out those nasty fiends from a distance. Just a warning, though, they can be a tad bit slow to reload," Celann said, chipper and good-natured, before placing a heavy crossbow and a large amount of steel bolts in her hands. "Here's some armor, too. It's meant to protect against vampire attacks, so I think you'll find it useful. Oh, and take some potions of cure disease as well. You'll want to use them after every encounter. A scratch, a bite, or even their drain spell can infect you. Good luck out there."

* * *

"Ready to go? I've already hired the carriage driver to take us to Dawnstar, and I think he's getting slightly impatient," Teldryn said, rising off of the bench he had claimed in the Riften marketplace while Indis took care of some business.

"Yes, I am. All done," Indis had dropped off her Thieves Guild armor and bow in her chest back at the Cistern after selling much of what she had accumulated to Tonilia. She had stopped to tell Brynjolf that she would be gone for a while, promising to collect a few souvenirs for the guild during her journey. Her last stop had been at the forge, passing the fire salts she had gotten to Balimund, who thanked her profusely without even lecturing her on stealing.

"Hello there! I've been looking all over for you; got a letter I'm supposed to deliver, for your eyes only. Now, let's see here…ah! There it is," a breathless courier said, digging out a letter from his large satchel.

Indis took the small square of parchment, flipping it open, eyes quickly scanning the inked black letters. It was quite brief, but the large blotches of ink on the ends of letters suggested that the author had frequently paused to think while penning their thoughts.

_Indis,_

_I'm sorry. I need to see you. _

_Yours,_

_Ralof_

Indis sighed, and stuffed the letter into her knapsack. "Come on Teldryn, let's get going."

"Do you have a reply?" the courier asked, blank parchment ready in his hand.

"No, I don't. Sorry."

* * *

The two stood outside a small entrance cut into the mountainside, silent as they examined the door at the top of a short flight of steps, the sound of a nearby tattered banner whipping about in the wind. It was dusk, orange and pink sky cutting through the clouds as the sun set, casting a golden-red glow over them.

"This is it, then?" Indis whispered, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. "Dimhollow Crypt, the place that the vampires and Vigilants were looking into?"

"I believe so. Why are we whispering?"

"I don't know…that Tolan fellow said vampires would likely be looking into this place, too. Just being extra cautious, I suppose. Shall we head inside?"

"After you, milady," Teldryn said, bowing and gesturing to the door with a flourish. "I'm right behind you."

After making her way up the short flight of snow dusted steps, Indis pushed the door open, quietly making her way along a narrow corridor to a massive cavern, Teldryn hot on her heels, sword drawn. Where was Tolan?

"What a fool, coming here alone. He must have had a death wish to do so," said a female voice, the words echoing throughout the chamber.

"Even so, he fought well. I hope some other stupid fool comes along. I'm getting hungry," replied a male, laughing.

Indis crept forward slowly drawing her crossbow, indicating to Teldryn that she was about to attack. After his nod, she raised her crossbow, aiming for the female. Luckily, they hadn't been noticed yet, but that was about to change. Firing, the bolt hit the vampire in the chest, sending her stumbling backwards, gasping and choking. Celann hadn't been lying when he said they were powerful weapons. Reloading as quickly as she could, she fired again, finishing off what appeared to be some kind of undead hound. Teldryn had handily dispatched of the male vampire, setting the thing on fire before plunging his blade into its chest.

"He shouldn't have come in here alone. He should have just waited," Teldryn muttered, staring down at Tolan's corpse as Indis caught up to him.

"He should have, but he didn't. Nothing we can do about that now," Indis gasped, out of breath. She would definitely have to adjust to wearing a heavier armor. "We should carry on."

* * *

After battling their way through weaving tunnels and expansive caverns filled with walking skeletons, undead warriors that Teldryn had said were called 'draugr', more vampires and their undead companions, the two finally arrived at a massive gate. Peering inside, it became clear that a vampire and a massive spider were currently occupied with the goal of destroying each other.

"I think that pull chain on the wall should open the gate," Teldryn said. "But I think we should just wait here and take on whoever is left after this little battle is over. 10 Septims on the spider."

They stood outside the gate, patiently waiting for the massive spider and the vampire to finish their fight. After a few minutes, the vampire fell dead, and the spider turned towards the gate, eyes focused on the prey on the other side. Indis rolled her eyes at Teldryn as he held out a gloved hand. After pulling the chain and dispatching of the wounded spider, Indis and Teldryn headed towards a large iron door.

"I think we're getting close," she whispered, placing a hand on the cold metal, ready to enter the caverns beyond. "Ready?"

"Ready. Be prepared for a fight. I've got a nasty feeling."

* * *

"Oh, Adalvald. You have information I need, I'll simply just take it from you," stated an oily voice that echoed throughout the large cavern that Indis and Teldryn had just entered. "You won't cooperate? Very well, then."

A choked gurgle followed the last words, the sound of life leaving a man after having his throat slashed.

"I think you were right about trouble. I'm going to see if I can get a shot at him, alright?" Indis said, crouching behind the arched, stone railing, narrowing her attention on the vampire that had just cut down the Vigilant now lying on the ground. Taking a breath, she fired a bolt, cursing under her breath as it flew past the head of the vampire. The sound of the shot had resounded throughout the chamber, the loud 'clack' causing the vampire and his minion to direct their attention to Indis.

Fortunately, Teldryn was ready, having already conjured a flame atronach, rushing past her in a blur towards the enemies below. In no time at all, the cavern was cleared, and Indis found her way towards Teldryn, who was at the bottom of the steps.

"Was it part of the plan to miss the first shot?"

"Shut your mouth and come on," Indis grumbled, slinging the crossbow over her back, leading him across a narrow path towards a stone structure ringed by arches. "Let's see if there's anything useful on this Vigilant."

Kneeling down, she picked up a small, tattered journal lying next to the slaughtered man, eyes quickly scanning the text as she flipped through the pages. "He thinks that there's something odd, something different, about this formation."

Standing up, Indis tossed the journal to Teldryn and made her way over to the center of the structure, to a formation with what appeared to be some kind of button on it. "I'm going to press this," she said, taking a deep breath.

Placing her palm on the button, she pushed down, a massive spike shooting upwards through her hand, tearing through flesh and sinew before retracting. "Oh, Gods!" she gasped, clutching her hand, desperately trying to stop the rapid flow of blood.

Teldryn rushed forward, a healing spell spilling forth from both hands as the powerful restoration magic knit her torn hand back together. Given that she seemed to be very prone to injury, Teldryn had ample opportunity to practice his restoration skills, and they had improved a great deal.

"All better?" he asked, watching as she stretched her hand and wiggled her fingers.

"I think so. Still feels a little tender, but it'll be fine. Oh, look!" Indis said, attention moving from her hand to the area around them. After pushing the button, a stream of purple fire had shot up from the center of the circle, outwards past one of the braziers. "Do you think this is some kind of puzzle?"

"I think so," Teldryn replied, tugging at the brazier the fire had shot past. "This thing looks like it'll move…here, let's push it around and see what happens."

Indis stood up, walking over to join him, placing her hands on the brazier, helping him push.

"So," he said nonchalantly, struggling to be heard above the grating sound of stone against stone. "Who is Ralof?"

"Wait, what?" Indis asked, taken aback by his question. How could he know about Ralof? She had never mentioned him, unless-

"You read my letter!" she accused angrily.

"You were acting so…odd after you received it, so you must understand the temptation. Not like there was much in there, anyway. So, who is he? A lover? Sounded like he was your lover from the way he signed it."

"I can't believe you read my letter," she huffed. "That was private! What is wrong with you?"

"Would you look at that!" Teldryn said, cutting her off. "Seems we did something right. I think these things have to touch the edge of the fire."

Indis helped him push the remaining braziers around, fuming as she did so.

"You never answered me. Is he?"

Indis turned to him, ready to tell him where he could shove it, when her attention was captured by the sound of something rising out of the center of the formation. She could unleash her fury on Teldryn later, this took precedence.

The monolith now standing at the center swung open, revealing something unexpected inside: a woman.

The woman's eyes fluttered open, and she clumsily staggered forward, falling to the cold stone. Indis rushed over and knelt down, helping her up.

"Thank you," the woman replied quietly, her voice a pleasing mix of calm and sultry. "Who…are you? Who sent you?"

"I'm Indis. Isran from the Dawnguard sent me. Who were you expecting?"

The woman shook her head. "I don't know that name, or the Dawnguard. I'm Serana, by the way. Nice to meet you," she said with a small smile. "Sorry if I seem a bit out of sorts, I was just expecting someone like me, that's all."

Indis narrowed her eyes, looking Serana over, taking in her pale skin, as fair as the snow that covered much of Skyrim, her eyes…her eyes, a deep blood red. "You're…a…?"

"Vampire? Yes," Serana replied, nonplussed by Indis' surprise.

"Is that a…" Indis said, gesturing to the large object on Serana's back.

"An Elder Scroll? Yes. It's mine."

"You know, the Dawnguard would want us to kill you," Teldryn growled stepping forward, putting himself in between Indis and Serana. "Tell me why we shouldn't kill you right now, you vile bloodsucker."

"I hope you won't," Serana replied dismissively. "Listen, you kill me, you've killed one vampire, but if people are looking for me, then that means something bigger is going on. Let me live and I can help you find out exactly what's going on."

Teldryn turned to Indis, moving closer to whisper in her ear. "I don't trust her one bit. I say we kill her now."

Indis shook her head and turned towards Serana. "Alright, Serana. Where do you need to go?"

* * *

Indis and Serana walked up a stone path dotted with gargoyles towards a massive, looming castle, leaving Teldryn standing by the jetty.

"Listen, Indis," Serana said stopping in front of the castle gate, her cold fingers lightly touching Indis' hand.

"Are you alright?" Indis asked.

"I-I think so. Thank you for asking. I know the Dawnguard would want you to kill every vampire in here, but I'm hoping you can show restraint. When we get in there, just let me do the talking alright? And once this is over…I'm going to go my own way for a while, I think. Thank you. You have my gratitude," Serana said, smiling as she brushed her dark hair out of her face. "Now, let's head inside."

* * *

"My daughter, you've returned! Do you have my Elder Scroll?" asked man, stepping towards Serana quickly, his long black cloak trailing behind him.

"After all this time, the first thing you ask about is your damned scroll?" Serana asked, hurt creeping into her voice.

Indis trailed close behind her, trying to avoid the burning stares of the vampires seated at the long tables, their teeth ripping into raw flesh as they watched her. Indis took in her surroundings, repulsed at the sound of bone breaking, flesh tearing, the smell and sight of dried blood covering the tables and floors.

_Just because you're a vampire doesn't mean you have to live in absolute filth,_ Indis thought to herself.

"And who is this that you've brought to my castle?" said the man who had greeted Serana, red eyes now focused on Indis.

"She is my savior, the one who freed me from my prison," Serana said defensively.

"I see, I see. Does your savior have a name?" he practically purred, moving closer to Indis.

"You first," Indis squeaked, moving her eyes up to meet his.

"Very well. I am Harkon, lord of this castle. Do you know who we are?"

"You're vampires. Serana told me."

"Not just any vampires, little lamb. You see, this castle is home to the Volkihar Clan, the oldest and most powerful pureblood vampires in all of Skyrim, and I am their leader."

"Oh," Indis said quietly, unsure of what else to say to the information that had just been presented to her. "What happens now?"

"There is but one gift I can give that is equal in value to an Elder Scroll and the safe return of my daughter…my blood. Accept my gift, and you will walk as a lion among men, and mortals will tremble in your path. Perhaps I should provide a demonstration. Behold!" Harkon said, back arching as his form began to shift, to change until he had taken on the appearance of a large, grey, bat-like humanoid. Indis staggered backwards.

"And…and if I don't want to be a vampire?"

"I will let you live this once, but you will be banished from this castle, to become prey as all mortals. Now, make your choice!" he demanded, his taloned feet hovering above the floor as he glided towards her.

"Although I am very, very flattered by your offered, I, uhh…am disinclined to acquiesce."

"Very well, then. You are prey, as all mortals are."

* * *

"So, what you're telling me is that you uncovered a powerful vampire with an Elder Scroll in Dimhollow Crypt, and then you walked right into the castle of the most powerful vampire clan in Skyrim and just handed her, and the scroll, over to them?" Isran bellowed, furious words echoing throughout Fort Dawnguard.

"Well, when you, uhh, say it like that, it sounds quite bad," Indis mumbled, unable to meet his eyes.

"Out. Now," he hissed through gritted teeth, pointing at the door that led to Dayspring Canyon.

* * *

"Honestly, I thought he was about to murder me, right then and there," Indis said gloomily, running a finger over the edge of her tankard as she leaned back in her chair. "My first job for the Dawnguard, and I muck it up in the most catastrophic, stupid way possible."

"Ahh, lass. It doesn't sound that bad."

"Stop lying, Bryn," Indis mumbled, downing the last of her ale. "I ruin everything."

"Alright, it does. I was just trying to feel better. Pah, who needs the Dawnguard anyway? You've got all of us, and you've never mucked up a job for the Guild, so it isn't true that you ruin everything. Oh, and speaking of jobs, Mercer wanted to speak to you directly, personally give you a job himself, I think. I wouldn't keep him waiting."

Indis straightened her back, heart pounding as she stood up. The guildmaster wanted to speak to _her_?

If she was being perfectly honest, Mercer Frey terrified her. He had shown that he could be strict, harsh, unforgiving as he kept the rabble of the Guild in line. She had only spoken to him directly when she was formally inducted, but she had found Mercer's eyes burning into her on numerous occasions. There was no denying it; Mercer had been watching her closely ever since she had joined.

_Probably waiting for me to pull another Dimhollow,_ she nervously mused to herself, using a term that Teldryn had begun to use every time she mucked something up.

"There you are," Mercer said, his gravelly voice slightly annoyed. "Took you long enough."

"You, uhh, wanted to see me?"

"Obviously, or you wouldn't be standing here right now. You've impressed me," he said, closing the ledger he had been looking over, turning his full attention to her.

"Oh?" Indis replied, trying her best to sound calm and disinterested.

"Indeed. Before you, every recruit Brynjolf brought in either quit, or got done in by a bit of bad luck."

"Bad luck? What kind of bad luck?"

"A sneeze at an inconvenient time, or guards turning a corner, that sort of thing. We're not here to have tea and chit-chat, though, so enough of those pointless questions. Time to get down to business. As I mentioned previously, you've done well for yourself and the Guild, so I think it's time to put your expertise to the test, see how good you really are. Let's talk about Goldenglow."

* * *

**Whoa, a crazy long chapter! I hope you guys enjoyed this one. I'd really appreciate it if you dropped me a review or some love-I worked hard on this one, and it took me a pretty long time.**

**But anyway...what's up next, you ask? Goldenglow Estate, that's what! Oh, and a certain handsome, blonde Stormcloak shows up in Riften...'ello, there!**

** Also, I'm thinking of changing the name of this story. It's not grabby/catchy enough, and I chose it when I had something totally, totally different in mind for Indis. But, I want you guys to have input! Leave a comment/review with what you think the new title should be, or if it should stay the same, and I'll select the winner in a few days!**


	14. Resolution and Bees

**Here it is, the big Goldenglow Estate job! I hope you enjoy it, and as always, please read and review. Also, if you have any ideas for a new title, I would love to hear from you. :)**

* * *

Indis was perched on the rooftop of The Scorched Hammer, eyes focused on the small estate in the distance, the view enhanced by a small telescope she permanently borrowed from Bersei Honey-Hand without permission. It was midday, and the heat of the sun had made the roof uncomfortably warm. Indis was glad that she chose to wear the cooler armor that Glover had given her. A large gust of wind swept across the roof, creating a small whirlwind of leaves and dirt, leaving a trail of gooseflesh behind on her bare arms. Lowering the telescope, she sighed before passing it off to the Dunmer beside her.

"What do you think, Teldryn?"

"I think…that's a lot of mercenaries, and it's getting too hot up here. What do you have to do again?"

Indis bit her lip, stomach fluttering as she thought about what she had to do tonight. The Goldenglow Estate job was undoubtedly the most important one that had been assigned to her as of yet, and if she wanted a future with the Guild, she couldn't afford to muck it up.

"Clear out the safe in the main house, and then burn down three of the hives. I've been given permission to kill anyone that tries to stop me."

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?"

Indis nodded. "As terrified as I am by the thought of facing all of those mercenaries, I _have _to do this alone. I need to prove myself to Mercer, let him know that I can handle something this important. Why'd you come, anyway? Said something about Isran? Has he decided he's ready to murder me?"

"No, no. Well, at least I don't think so. He just said to find your way back to Fort Dawnguard as soon as possible, that it was important, something was there for you," Teldryn replied, cautiously standing up, making his way to a safe place to jump down, turning to her one last time before he found his way to the ground. "Just…come as soon as you can, alright?"

Indis watched him leave before clambering to her feet. He would be heading back to the Fort now. Teldryn had gone back to Fort Dawnguard after that whole Elder Scroll debacle, and had asked Isran to join. Indis was focused on her Guild work and he had no desire to return to Solstheim, so he had simply said that he needed something to do with his time.

Indis hopped down from the roof and made her way to her usual marketplace position. She had decided she would head to Goldenglow at dusk, using the cover of darkness to sneak through. Until then, might as well see what she could make off the marketplace.

"You didn't mess up my roof, did ya? What were you doing up there anyway?" Balimund asked, crossing his arms as he leaned against the wall next to her.

"Just…looking around," Indis replied, not wanting she was using his roof to do some scouting for a Guild job.

"On a hot rooftop? If you're up to something, that's fine, don't have to say," he said, a long pause following his words. "I heard Mjoll got arrested this morning. Somethin' 'bout stealing from Grelka's stand. Hauled off to jail this mornin'. Apparently a guard got a tip, went to look in her house, and there's something that didn't belong to her. Aerin just kept following her and the guards, weepin' and blubberin' about how Mjoll couldn't have done anything wrong, and how they should just let her go because it was a mistake."

"Oh, really now?" Indis replied, desperately trying to sound nonchalant and keep a smug smile off her face.

"Yes, really. I'm guessing you had something to do with this, but I know you're not gonna tell me," he said, wiping sweat from his brow, eyes boring into her.

"Honestly, Balimund. Why do you think I had to something to do with it?" Indis said, feigning hurt. "You think I'm that kind of woman?"

"I just know you and Mjoll…didn't exactly see eye to eye 'bout everything, and you were getting tired of her bothering you and Brynjolf out here, that's all. Forgive me for insinuatin' anything," he said with a shrug, turning back towards the forge, taking his place at the grindstone.

Indis smiled to herself, musing on the plan that she and Brynjolf had hatched a few days ago, born out of frustration with the woman and her constant interference. Mjoll the Lioness, as she like to call herself, had made it known that she cared not one bit for the presence of the Thieves Guild, claiming that Riften was her personal beast to be slain, and apparently her idea of 'saving' Riften consisted of harassing Indis and Brynjolf in the marketplace, wandering around aimlessly, incessantly and loudly chattering about how terrible the Guild was, and sitting on her arse in the Bee and Barb with Aerin, gorging herself on apple cabbage stew.

Thanks to a well-placed, stolen greatsword that the guards found in her bedroom in Aerin's house, she would be spending a few lonely days behind cell bars in Riften's jail. Indis caught Brynjolf's eye, and he gave her a pleased nod and wink, indicating that he had caught wind of the news.

"Indis?"

Indis jerked her head sharply towards the speaker, mouth dropping open with surprise. "Ralof? Wh-what are you doing here?"

* * *

Indis and Ralof sat on the edge of a dock by the Riften Fishery, both quiet as they watched dartwings flitter across the surface of the water, the only sound the soft lapping of water on wood.

"You never answered my letter," he said, sadness apparent in his voice.

"Ralof, I…after what happened in Raven Rock, I didn't know what to say, so I thought it would be best to just not reply at all," she replied softly, eyes focused on her reflection in the water below. "I was just surprised when I got it, since when we last saw each other, it seemed as though you didn't want anything to do with me. You were such an ass to me in Raven Rock."

"Aye, that's how I felt when I left. I'm still not comfortable with this," he said, gesturing to her armor. "But, I realized I never gave you a chance to speak, to hear what you had to say. That's what I intend to do now. And, I'm sorry for treating you the way that I did."

"Ralof, I don't know what you want from me."

"Honesty, that's all I ask. An honest answer to every question I ask of you."

Indis bit her lip, gnawing furiously as she tried to process his request. Honesty had never been her strong suit, and ever since joining the Guild, it had become one of her greatest skills. She lied to almost everyone she knew, but for some inexplicable reason, she found herself actually wanting to tell Ralof everything. He had been one of her closest friends before Raven Rock, and if telling the truth meant that she could restore part of their relationship, so be it.

She turned to face him, taking a deep breath. "Alright, ask. What do you want to know?"

"The Thieves Guild. Why?"

"When I arrived here, I was looking for honest work, I promise," she insisted, nervously flicking at a pebble on the dock. "But I couldn't find anyone who would hire me. Brynjolf was the only one who offered me anything that paid, and I told myself that I would only take jobs from him until I could find something else, but…"

"But, what? And who is Brynjolf?" Ralof asked, furrowing his brow.

"It pays so well, and I…enjoy it. You probably won't like to hear this, but I'm damn good at it, too," she admitted. "And Brynjolf, the Guild's second, looks out for me, as does everyone else."

"You _like_ being a criminal?" Ralof asked incredulously, running his fingers through his hair.

"You did tell me to be honest, Ralof. I'm doing what you asked. Anything else?"

"Alright, fair enough. Why did you turn me down? In Riverwood, when I asked you to…you know."

"Ralof, listen. It's not that I didn't, or don't, care about you," she said, placing one of her hands on top of his. "But things are…complicated."

"Then explain them to me," he said softly, cupping her cheek with one of his rough palms. "Please."

"The reason I left Bravil was to get away from my father, to avoid a marriage he had set up for me. He was a merchant, and in the last few years before I left, he lost a lot of money, and as a result, power, when caravans and ships were attacked and merchandise was stolen. He promised me to some fat, creepy, corrupt lord in the Imperial City, who in turn, would help him reestablish connections and lend him money, as long as he could do what he wanted with me. I was just a means to an end for him. I was tired of not having a say in my own fate, angry with being controlled by these horrible men."

"You know that I would never use you like that, do that to you," Ralof said, moving closer.

"I know, I just…being used your entire life makes it a bit difficult to trust others, and...I'm sorry if I made it difficult for you to trust me."

"Then let's prove we can trust each other. Let's give each other a chance," he whispered, leaning in closer, running a rough thumb over her lips.

Indis felt her cheeks, in addition to other parts of her anatomy, heating up as a result of his touch. Blushing, she tried to look away from him, break eye contact, anything to dispel the tension, but her efforts were foiled when he swiftly ducked his head, his lips catching hers. His hand moved from her face to the back of her head, curling around her neck as he tangled his fingers in her short auburn hair, pulling her closer as he deepened the kiss. His lips, chapped and weathered from time in colder, harsher climates, moved against hers gently, despite the urgency she felt behind the action. She moved closer, knotting her fingers in his cuirass, and he took the opportunity to pull her into his lap, so that she was straddling him. Ralof's lips were now making their way down her throat, his coarse beard prickling the sensitive skin of her neck. His hands were around her waist, surreptitiously slipping underneath her armor, grazing the skin underneath. Indis gasped at the touch, trying to stifle a moan, pulling him closer as she—

"Hey! I'm happy to see romance alive and well, but for the love of Mara, take it elsewhere, I'm trying to run a business!"

_Dammit Bolli!_ Indis silently cursed, awkwardly stumbling to her feet, trying to hide the flush on her cheeks and her now rapid breathing. "Come on," she gasped. "Let's go."

* * *

Indis and Ralof sat at the edge of Lake Honrich, the sounds of nearby Merryfair Farm reaching their ears. Dusk was rapidly approaching, and the thought of the task she was about to undertake made her stomach churn nervously.

"You alright?" Ralof asked, reaching for her hand.

"I'm fine, just…a big job tonight, that's all." Indis had to admit, telling Ralof the truth had taken a weight off her chest. "Do you have to go back to Windhelm?"

"No, actually. I asked if I could be stationed in the Rift, and I've been assigned to Shor's Stone. Not the most exciting location, but I'll be close to Riften. Speaking of which, I should probably head back now. I'm back on duty tomorrow," he said, letting go of her hand as he stood up.

Indis clambered to her feet, brushing off dirt. "I should go, too. Work to be done."

He leaned down, shaking his head as he planted on final kiss on her forehead. "I don't think I'll ever get used to what you do, much less feel comfortable with it. But…we'll talk about it more later, alright? Stay safe, and I'll see you soon."

Ralof turned to leave, striding away in the direction of Shor's Stone. Indis watched him leave, a small fluttering in her stomach. He seemed uncomfortable with her connection to the Guild, making it obvious that he still disapproved. In spite of that, Indis felt that they had made some very…pleasant progress. They had made amends for now, but Indis found herself wondering how long it would last before another issue came up, tearing them apart again.

Soon, Ralof had disappeared in the distance, and she turned her attention towards Goldenglow Estate, adjusting her bow as she stepped into the water. As much as she wanted to think about Ralof right now, she couldn't afford to be distracted. Time to get to work.

* * *

Finding the sewer grate that Vex had insisted she use hadn't been too difficult. The bold, vivid pinks, reds, and oranges of dusk painted the sky, and the dimming light had allowed her enough light to see where she was going, but remain undetected by the mercenaries. With a small grunt, she pulled the grate off the entrance to the sewer, and placed a foot on the rotting wood of the ladder that led down. Testing it with her weight, she set downwards once she was satisfied it would hold.

The ladder was relatively short, and soon she found herself squinting in a dark sewer, eyes adjusting to the low level of light as the acrid tang of skeever droppings threatened to make her sneeze.

"Let's get a little light in here," she muttered to herself, a small ball of light floating forth from her palm, casting a blinding white light as it hovered above, revealing a slick, oily mess before her. Indis had seen this before, when she had infiltrated a small bandit encampment. An unfortunate soul had dropped a torch, and the oil had lit up within a matter of seconds, burning the man alive. With any luck, a tiny flame would take care of any skeevers ahead. A simple flame spell ought to do the trick.

After the flames had finally burnt out, Indis crept forward, searching for the telltale skittering of skeevers as she made her way forward. She found a second ladder at the end of the sewer tunnel, fortunately avoiding any skeevers or traps that may have been present. Climbing upwards, she pushed the second grate open, the cool night air refreshing on her face. Cautiously peeking out, she spotted the door to the main building, and no mercenaries to be found.

Indis quickly made her way over to the door, twisting the knob, jiggling it around, frustrated when it didn't open. Pulling out her lockpicks, she slipped them in the lock, working as quickly as possible, praying to the Divines that a mercenary didn't round the corner in the next few seconds. Indis sighed with relief when the lock clicked open, and she slipped inside as quickly as possible. Brynjolf had recommended that she get attempt to get as much information from Aringoth as possible, so she quietly crept upstairs, peeking around any corners. Gathering a spell in the palm of her left hand, she smiled as the green blue light crept over her armor, swirling delicately around her boots. Indis didn't know much magic, but learning how to muffle noise had definitely proven to be useful. She moved along quickly, crouching down low as she rounded corners, moving past several mercenaries silently. Indis navigated her way upstairs, continuing to creep along quietly, stifling a giggle when her face ended inches away from a mercenary's rear end. Taking a few steps backward, she cut through a room to avoid him, making her way towards the corner room at the second floor. A small buzzing sound met her eyes, as well as a loud snore. She made her way past him, hand reaching out for a shut door. It was locked.

Glancing back at the seated, slumbering mercenary that was supposed to be guarding this door, she popped the lock open once she was satisfied he was sound asleep. Stepping inside the room, she stood up, her gaze focusing on the trembling elf crouched in the corner. That must be Aringoth.

He lifted his head, scowling as his eyes met hers. "What? Who are you? Damn worthless mercenaries," he spat out, still cowering.

"I've been sent by Mercer to find out what you're doing and what's going on. Give me the key to your safe, and I'll be on my way."

"What, no!" the elf quickly rose to his feet, turning to face her. "You think I'm going to just give you my key?"

Indis shrugged. "Then I'll just pick your safe open."

"I…I can't let you do that. If Mercer and Maven find out what I did, I'm a dead man," he cried out, raising his weapon. "Help! Help me!"

Indis turned towards the door to see a now very awake mercenary barreling towards her. She took a step backwards; fumbling for her bow, one of her feet caught on the edge of the raised dais Aringoth's bed was on, her back hitting a chest at the foot of his bed, a loud crack echoing through the air.

Her bow. Her bow had just snapped in half.

Frantically calling the only spells she knew to mind, she conjured a familiar, while dousing the mercenary and Aringoth with flames. After agonized shrieks from both of them, they fell silent, the smell of charred, burnt flesh permeating her nostrils, threatening to make her heave. Indis gingerly stood up, careful not to catch sight of their bodies, turning to inspect what remained of her bow. The force of her falling body meeting with the hard, sturdy wood of the chest had causing the bow to cleave in half. Sadly, she placed the pieces onto her back. Perhaps it could be repaired.

Indis surveyed Aringoth's room, pausing to look over a large, golden statue of a bee on his bedside table, along with a buzzing bee in a jar. That definitely had to be the source of the buzzing she had heard earlier. She grabbed both of them, tucking them away in her bag, hoping that someone in the Guild could give her a decent price for them.

Taking a deep breath, she made her way over to the burnt elven remains, delicately sifting through the ashy, destroyed clothing, bile rising in her throat when her fingers made contact with blistered, gooey flesh.

_Focus, Indis, focus. Breathe in, breathe out. The safe key, focus on the safe key…_

Indis sighed in relief once her fingers met with metal in the shape of a key, still warm from flames. She had hoped that Aringoth would behave rationally, just tell her something, and hand over the key, but unfortunately, that wasn't to be. She'd have to explain to Mercer and Brynjolf once she got back to the Flagon.

"Alright, let's get this over with," she sighed, setting off towards the direction of the basement.

* * *

Indis remained crouched in front of the safe, eyes unable to believe what she was seeing as she read over the piece of parchment in front of her.

"Aringoth sold Goldenglow? What in Oblivion was that fool thinking?" she hissed quietly to herself, shaking her head. No wonder he had been so eager to resist, attempting to kill her, instead of just admit what was going on. Tucking the bill of sale into a special protective pouch, she made her way through a small iron gate, peering into a hole that looked like it led back to the sewer. Indis dropped down, creeping back towards the ladder that led to the main grounds of the estate, thankful that she would have the protective shadow of darkness as she made her way to the hives.

They were located on a smaller island, across a small bridge. There were at least a dozen mercenaries patrolling the outside grounds, so she would have to be discrete and fast. Once she lit the hives, she would have to _run_.

Luckily, she had acquired just the thing she needed to get up close to the hives without being seen. She dug through her knapsack, fingers closing around a small potion bottle that Brynjolf had given her.

"Now, lass, I think this might help you on that island. Be warned, though. It won't last long until it wears off," he had said in the Flagon, as he had pushed the bottle towards her.

She uncorked it quickly, nose wrinkling at the bitter taste as she downed it, tossing it aside as she broke into a sprint in the direction of the hives.

"What do you mean it won't last long? Maybe a few minutes, or so?" she had asked him, inspecting the bottle.

"No, lass. Seconds."

Her feet thudded against the wooden planking of the bridge, causing it to creak and sway in her wake. She heard a mercenary start towards it, searching for the source of the sounds he was hearing, but she pushed that out of her mind. She felt a small crackle as the potion wore off, sighing in relief as she gazed at the hives a few yards in front of her. She had made it.

Drawing on her very sparse knowledge of magic, flames poured forth from her palms, the crackles and pop of wood burning as they caught fire. One, two, three. She had done her job, and she had done it well.

She turned towards the edge of the small island, ready to jump down into the water when a hand closed around her throat, pulling her backwards as a dagger pierced her armor, slicing through the soft, vulnerable flesh below before withdrawing. Indis gasped and stumbled forward, miraculously wriggling out of his grasp as she heard the mercenary's curse as he swiped at her again, and missed.

Her body met the water with a loud splash, and she found her arms frantically paddling towards the opposite shore as she struggled to ignore the pain throbbing in her stomach. Indis stumbled ashore, tiny hands clutched at the wound on her side, unable to tell if it was blood or merely water from the lake that was coating her hands. Vision blurring, her feet clumsily plodded along the path towards Riften, through the back gate, and towards the secret entrance to the Cistern. She jabbed at the button, inspecting her hands in the pale moonlight. They were dark and sticky with blood. Her blood.

She found her way into the Cistern, the quiet drip of water the only sound. The hour was late, and most would be asleep now. The Cistern appeared to be empty, except for her Guildmaster.

Mercer looked up at her as she arrived at his desk, his usual scowl surprisingly absent. "Good, you're finally back, and you're alive. Took you long enough. What did you find out?"

Indis opened her mouth to speak, to tell him what she had discovered, but instead of words, vomit bubbling forth, hitting the stone of the Cistern and splattering all over Mercer's boots. Her head swam as she clutched at the edge of his desk, struggling to stay upright before she passed out, collapsing onto the floor of the Cistern.

Mercer looked at his vomit-soaked boots, then to the pale, unconscious woman laying at his feet, taking in her sweaty, clammy skin, the dried blood on her hands. His standard, irritated scowl returned as he bent down and scooped her up, tossing her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes before heading towards the exit of the Cistern.


	15. Waking Up In Riftweald

**WARNING: Mentioning/brief description of rape.**

* * *

_The rain softly tapped against the blurry glass of the windows, a crack of thunder rattling them in their panes. A twelve year old Indis padded down the hallway toward her father's study, sloppy, crude needlework clutched in her tiny hand, eager to show him all of the progress she had made. He had been so angry a few days ago when he saw her earlier attempts, striking her hard across her cheek, grabbing her hair, throwing her to the hard floor, bellowing his frustration with her uselessness, her ineptitude at simple tasks. His face had grown red, breath that reeked of Colovian Brandy hitting her in the face as he unleashed his drunken fury, striking her again as she cowered on the floor before stumbling back into his study, slammed the heavy door behind him. She had crawled away, whimpering, sobbing, finding her way back to Anneke, who had held her tight, smoothing her hair down as she whispered words of comfort. Indis had awoken the next morning, Anneke's comforting arm still wrapped around her. She had shaken her nursemaid awake, begging for her to help, to show her how to improve her needlepoint, hoping to show her father that he was wrong, that she could do things well. Little Indis had worked relentlessly over the past three days, her fingers sore from repeated pricks of the needle, but she felt as though she had made great strides. He would be pleased. She had been certain of it._

_Indis gripped the doorknob to her father's study, pausing as a small noise grabbed her attention. It sounded like a woman, crying. She twisted the knob, gently pushing the door open as quietly as she could, peering around the edge. _

"_Please, stop…stop!" gasped a woman bent over her father's desk. Indis squinted, realizing that it was Sarai, a girl only a few years older than her who worked in the kitchen. Her father had the girl's honey blonde hair gripped tight in one hand, pulling it hard as he moved and thrust behind her. Sarai's face was red, puffy and swollen from tears, her skirts were hoisted up around her waist, and she was letting out a series of pained, choked sobs. Looking closer, she noticed her father's trousers were down around his ankles. He yanked hard on the young maid's hair, causing her to cry out again. Indis gasped, taking a step backwards. Her father looked up, her small gasp audible enough to be heard. Her green eyes widened as his eyes, brimming with fury and hate, made contact with hers. Dropping the small cloth, a piece of fabric with only a simple, crude, pattern of deathbell embroidered in the center, Indis fled._

* * *

Indis' eyes fluttered open groggily, vision slowly clearing as she took in her surroundings. There was the patter of rain against the roof, the warmth of a crackling fire, and dark, solid wood above her head. Where was she?

She tried to sit up, but ended up falling back onto the large, soft bed when she was met with a sharp pain that shot through her gut, causing her to gasp in agony. Her mind was still foggy, but one memory was starting to become clearer: Goldenglow. She had been so close to making it out clean, with nothing going wrong, when that mercenary had taken her by surprise while she was occupied with burning the hives, plunging his dagger into her stomach. It certainly explained why she felt as though a thousand horkers had been sitting on top of her.

Raising her head as much as she could, she noticed she was wearing a rather large clean, crisp tunic and incredibly loose trousers. Peeking under the tunic, she noticed a large cloth bandage wrapped around her entire torso, a strange smell coming from underneath. She reached to gently prod at her stomach when a low, gravelly voice interrupted her.

"You don't want to do that," Mercer Frey said, striding into the room, settling down in a seat by the fire. "That salve on the wound is supposed to help with the effects of the poison. I'd leave it on there if I were you. Your funeral if you take it off."

"Poison?" she mumbled, still attempting to sit up, despite the pain.

"Yes, poison," he replied. "I'm guessing it's the result of some trouble you ran into at Goldenglow? The wound wasn't deep, but whatever they had on the blade proved to be quite…potent."

"Poison…that would explain the dream," she whispered, more to herself than Mercer, gazing upwards towards the ceiling. That had been years ago, something she thought she had successfully pushed out of her mind.

"Dream? I don't know about that, but you had plenty of odd things to say."

"How long have I been here? And…where in Oblivion am I?" she said, lazily gesturing around her, the simple wave of an arm taking a great deal of effort.

"You're in my home, in Riftweald Manor. You've been in and out of consciousness for about two days. Now, if you're feeling this talkative, I think we can discuss Goldenglow. Did you clear out the safe?"

Riftweald Manor? Mercer's home? Indis blinked furiously, trying to wrap her head around what was happening, but unfortunately, her mind didn't seem up to the task at the moment.

"I did…I did…where is my bag?" she asked, already beginning to tire. Simply laying there speaking had proven to be taxing.

Mercer rose from the chair, grabbing her knapsack off of a table, placing it beside her as he sat down next to her. "What am I looking for?"

"It's just a slip of paper, a bill of sale."

Mercer cocked an eyebrow, frowning as he rummaged through. "A bill of sale?"

"Aringoth sold Goldenglow," Indis gasped as another shoot of pain darted through her body. "I…I wanted to leave him alive, I really did, but when I went to speak to him, he refused to tell me anything and refused to hand over the key to his safe willingly. When I told him that it didn't matter, that I would find a way into the safe anyway, he panicked. He attacked me, saying that he couldn't let me do that, because once you and Mercer found out what he had done, he was a dead man."

"…I'm Mercer."

"Ehh," she said, exhaustion taking over again, waving her hand at him dismissively. "That's what I thought, but…you can't be too sure."

"What's this symbol here?" he asked, ignoring her delusional behavior, pointing to something at the bottom of the bill of sale.

Indis squinted, growing wearier by the second. "Blazes if I know," she mumbled, eyelids becoming heavy.

She heard Mercer sigh and grumble something to himself as he rose from the edge of the bed, saying that they would continue their discussion later, when she had recovered more fully. She felt a cool, calloused hand press against her forehead, his voice mumbling about how her fever had returned.

"Mercer…Mercer Frey, you're not as much of an ass as I thought you were," Indis wearily remarked in a whisper, before falling into a long, deep slumber filled with more unpleasant, uneasy dreams.


	16. A Surprising Reunion

**As far as new story titles go...my friend suggested 'Song of the Caged Bird'. What do you guys think, or should I keep it as is?**

* * *

Three days after the Goldenglow job, Indis was feeling much better, thanks to massive amounts of rest, in addition to the gruff care of Mercer. She still wasn't quite where she was before, but with time, she would recover fully. However, even though she still wasn't feeling her best, it was time to get back to the Guild. Indis slowly got out of Mercer's bed, grabbing the clean clothes that he had left draped over a chair. She blushed as she pulled them on, trying not to think about the fact that she had just spent the past few days half-naked and asleep in the Guildmaster's bed, and that he had probably seen quite a bit more of her when he had removed her armor to treat the wound.

She tied the cloth belt around her waist, scanning the room for her belongings. She spotted her knapsack on a nearby dresser, rummaging through it when she arrived. Everything was there, except for her bow. Frowning, she hoisted the bag over her shoulder, setting off towards the Cistern. She would have to ask Mercer about it.

"Finally, you're up. About time," Mercer muttered, glancing up at her as she stopped in front of her desk. "Looks like you're feeling better. I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Where is my bow?" she asked, trying to not sound panicked or angry about its absence.

"The broken one in your bag? I got rid of it for you," he said, eyes now focused on the ledger in front of him. "Now, about the-"

"You got rid of it?" she asked incredulously. "That…that was my only weapon!"

"You're joking," Mercer said, raising his eyebrows. "Was that the only weapon you knew how to use? Well, you're an even bigger fool than I thought. Where does Brynjolf find you people? Never mind that, though. After you finish this next job, I'm going to train you how to use a sword. Maybe you won't get yourself killed. Now, this job. I don't know what it is, and I didn't ask. Maven Black-Briar asked for you specifically. Talk to Brynjolf about it. Oh, and please try to avoid getting yourself killed."

Indis was silent as she walked away from Mercer, still lamenting the loss of her bow. She found Brynjolf in the training room, who smiled at her as he saw her approach.

"Good to see you, lass! Mercer told me about what happened. Nasty bit of business getting stabbed, especially with a poisoned blade. You look better now, though."

Indis smiled weakly and nodded. "Mercer said you wanted to see me?"

"Ah, yes. Maven wanted to see you, asked for you specifically."

"What? I-I did everything as asked! I know I killed Aringoth, but he tried to stop me, and I only burned three of the hives, just like I was asked to…" she trailed off, panic forming in her voice.

"Whoa, whoa there, lass!" Brynjolf said, grabbing her wildly flailing arms, trying to calm her down. "You did, lass. You did. I think she wants to personally speak to her about a job. Now, off to see her, alright? Try not to muck it up or make her angry."

* * *

Indis made her way through the marketplace, over to the blacksmith's forge before she sought out Maven. Hopefully Balimund would be able to help her out. She had her torn armor tucked under one arm, and her broken bow under the other.

"Balimund!" she called out, waving her hand and the broken bow around. "I need your help."

"What do you need, Indis?" he asked, turning away from the workbench.

"My bow, I broke it," she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes, threatening to spill over. "Can you help me? Can you fix it?"

"Damn, Indis," he said, gingerly taking the bow out of her hands. "It takes a lot to break straight through strong wood. What in Oblivion did you do to this thing?"

"I fell on it. Please, Balimund. Can you fix it?"

He shook his head, resting a palm on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, I can't. I don't have much expertise with bows or arrows, I'm afraid. Even if I did, the wood is too badly broken."

"Oh," she sighed. "I see. Well, can you at least fix my armor?"

"That, I can do," he said, taking the lightweight umber leather out of her hands, inspecting the hole where the dagger had plunged through. "What happened? Are you injured?" Balimund asked, visibly concerned.

"It was nothing major, I'm fine now," she lied, waving her hand dismissively. "Can you fix it?"

"You," he said gruffly, grabbing one of the arms she had been waving around, drawing her slightly closer. "Are going to get yourself killed. I know you're a grown woman, and you can do as you damn well please, but I'm going to go ahead and say this. You'll cut things off with the Thieves Guild if you know what's good for you."

"I can take care of myself," Indis hissed indignantly. "And I can decide how I want to live my life for myself, what I want to do, thank you very much. Now, can you fix my armor, or no?"

"You know, Indis, everything ain't always about you and what you want. I'll be done with your armor later today. Stop back by in a few hours."

* * *

Indis stepped back out onto the streets of Riften, sighing as she made her way to the Bee and Barb. Hemming Black-Briar had informed her that Maven was out at the family's lodge, and would be returning sometime the next day. She would just have to wait to talk to Maven. Indis leaned against the wall, contemplating what she should do with her time.

"Indis! Miss me?" called out a familiar voice, and she turned towards the direction of the speaker, smiling.

"Ralof!" she called out, pain shooting through her wound as she pushed off the wall. "What are you doing here?"

"I was given some leave since things are slow, and I thought I'd come see you. If that's alright," he said, grabbing one of her hands as he leaned down to place a gentle kiss on her lips.

"Of course it's alright. I'm glad to see you," she said, genuinely happy. "How long can you stay?"

"I can stay a few days, no longer."

"Do you feel like coming to Fort Dawnguard with me?"

* * *

Fort Dawnguard. Teldryn had said that Isran wanted to see her, that something was waiting for her there. Indis figured that since she wouldn't be able to speak with Maven, she might as well go and see what Isran needed.

"So, Fort Dawnguard? What business do you have there?"

"It's…a bit of a long and strange story," she replied, feeling a bit embarrassed as she recalled the whole incident with the Elder Scroll.

"Really? Well, I'm always interested in strange stories, and we've got awhile until we reach our destination, so by all means, go ahead."

Being completely honest was something she was still getting used to, and she found herself struggling with it as she recounted the tale of her first assignment with the Dawnguard, including the part where she handed over a powerful vampire and her Scroll to the Lord of a very, very powerful vampire clan.

Ralof whistled, turning to her and winking. "Well, that was something. What do you think this Isran fellow wants with you? And who is that Teldryn you mentioned?"

Indis shrugged. "Who knows, perhaps he decided that he does want to murder me, keep me from monumentally mucking up anything else involving vampires. Oh, and Teldryn is the mercenary I hired on Solstheim. He charged me 500 Septims, but I'm happy I hired him. He's already saved my sorry arse more times than I can count. He decided to stay and work with the Dawnguard, unless I needed him for something."

"Trouble?"

"Just…ran into these things called Rieklings. That's how I got the scar on my face," she said, reaching up to touch the raised, pink line cutting across her cheek. "He also gave me this also haircut."

Ralof stopped, looking incredibly frustrated with himself. "I knew I should have gone back, that I shouldn't have left you there alone."

Indis came to a halt as well, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I wasn't alone, it was fine. Can we keep going?"

"Alright, let's carry on. Still, I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself if anything had happened to you. What's that noise?" he asked, suddenly distracted by the sound coming from her knapsack.

"Nothing terrible happened, so you're fine. Oh! It's something I found during my last job," she said, pulling out the jar with the bee inside. "This is all it is."

"A bee in a jar?" Ralof asked, raising an eyebrow. "What are you going to do with it?"

"I don't know. To be honest, I don't know why I grabbed it. I suppose I felt a bit bad for him since he's trapped in here," she said, taking her eyes off the road as she squinted at the bug in the jar, watching it buzz in the confined space, hitting the glass sides as it tried to desperately break free. "I think I might let him go, set him free."

"Do you think that will matter to it? It's only a bee," Ralof said, taking the jar out of her hands, peering inside of it.

"Of course it will matter to him!" Indis snapped angrily, snatching the jar with the imprisoned bee away from him, taken aback as she felt tears well up in her eyes. "He's been trapped, probably his whole life, of course it will make a difference if I let him go!"

"Hey there, calm down," Ralof said softly, surprised by her sudden outburst over the bee. "There's a bridge up ahead, how about we release him there?"

Indis and Ralof stopped on the bridge, staring out over the clear water that ran underneath. Indis placed the jar on the stone edge, twisting the top off. The bee fumbled about from side to side for a few moments, before clumsily, awkwardly flying off into the distance.

"Good luck, little fellow," she whispered.

"You're an odd one," Ralof said, leaning down to kiss her on the cheek. "Shall we keep going?"

* * *

Smiling at the sight of the Dunmer standing guard at the main doors to the fort, Indis waved.

"Ahh, Indis. Good to see you. Isran was beginning to get impatient. Well, even more so than usual. Who is your friend?" Teldryn asked, adjusting his chitin helmet.

"Teldryn, this is Ralof," she said, introducing the two men to each other.

"Ralof?" Teldryn asked, his voice curious. She could feel him smirking from behind his helmet. He was going to say something about the letter.

"Well, we'd best be going in, shouldn't keep Isran waiting!" she said quickly, turning back one last time to mouth the word 'bastard' to Teldryn, hoping Ralof didn't see.

Indis nervously stepped through the entrance of Fort Dawnguard, hesitant footsteps echoing off the stone walls of the main corridor. She made her way, with Ralof behind her to the center of the area, trying to decide which direction to take when a loud booming voice startled her.

"You want to tell me why a vampire showed up here a few days ago asking to see you?" a deep voice from above called out.

Indis looked up, searching for the speaker, spotting Isran leaning over the railing of the second level. She couldn't see his face, but she could feel his furious glare burning down. "Up here, now," he said sternly, turning away.

_Fantastic, things just keep getting better and better_, Indis gloomily thought to herself as she climbed the staircase to the second level. If she remembered the layout of the fort correctly, he had headed in the direction of what had appeared to be the torture chamber. _Perhaps I was correct in believing that he brought me here to kill me._

Indis stepped into the torture chamber, surprised by what she saw.

"This…thing showed up here shortly after I sent you away. Guessing by the Scroll it has, I believe this is the one you found in Dimhollow Crypt. It said it had something to say to you. Go on, speak!" Isran barked, glaring at the raven-haired vampire beside him.

"Serana? What…what are you doing here?" Indis gasped.

"I thought you'd be surprised to see me here. This is the last place in Skyrim I want to be, but I…needed to speak with you. Something made me feel as though I can trust you," Serana replied.

"Before we continue this little reunion, tell me why I shouldn't kill this bloodsucking fiend right here, right now," Isran growled, interrupting them.

"Won't you at least listen to what she has to say? She risked her life coming here to talk to me, so it must be important," Indis replied, hoping that her reply convinced him to not do anything violent.

"Fine, but the second it tries something, we're done here."

"Such a gracious, accommodating host. I'll remember it next time I get hungry," Serana sneered at Isran, sarcasm dripping from her voice. After a harsh glare at Isran, Serana turned her attention back to Indis, blood red eyes serious. "This is important, Indis. Let's hurry, before your _friend_ here loses his patience with me."

"Alright, then…go on," Indis said, curious as to what could be so important to make a vampire show up on the doorstep of a group of vampire hunters.

"The reason I came to see you is…it's about me, and the Scroll that was buried with me. You see, this all comes back to my father. You met him briefly, but I'm quite certain that even that short meeting was enough to pick up on the fact that he's not exactly a fantastic person, even by vampire standards. But, I need to say that he wasn't always like that, though."

"So, what happened, then? What changed him?" Indis asked, still unclear as to where this was going.

"He stumbled across some obscure prophecy, and just sort of lost himself in it."

"What did the prophecy say?"

"Well, like pretty much every prophecy out there, it was pointless and vague, but there was one tiny piece that he latched onto and became obsessed with. It something about how vampires would no longer need to fear the sun. That is what he's going after. He wants to have vampires control the sun and control the world," Serana said, her usually calm voice hinting at worry and anxiety. Softly sighing, she continued. "My mother and I didn't exactly feel like declaring war on all of Tamriel with this ridiculous prophecy, so we tried to stop him. That's why I was locked away, hidden in Dimhollow with the Scroll. Well, until you found me."

"Well, uhh, what does all of this have to do with the Dawnguard?" Indis asked, unsure of what else to say.

"Oh, I'm sorry…I thought a group of vampire hunters would want to know about a massive vampire plot to take over the world," Serana replied, sultry voice dripping with sarcasm. "Was I wrong?"

_This Serana is a bit of a sass monster_, Indis silently noted to herself. "No, no. You weren't wrong. We just…need to convince everyone here that you're on our side."

"Well, let's get started then. I'm nothing if not persuasive," Serana said, with a small smile and a wink.

Indis turned to Isran, gesturing to Serana. "Did you hear that? Was that enough to convince you not to kill her? We're going to need her help."

"You want me to set my hatred aside, and simply just trust it?" Isran snapped, clearly annoyed with Indis.

"Fine, you don't have to trust her. But…I do. I believe her."

"You'd better know what you're doing here. You've already screwed up once, and you don't get second chances," Isran growled, his eyes narrowing. "It can stay here for now, but if it lays a finger on anyone, I will hold you personally responsible."

"You hear that, vampire?" he said, turning his attention to Serana. "Don't take my sudden outburst of tolerance and generosity for granted. One mistake, one slip-up, and your little friend here who so stupidly has defended you will pay the price. Don't get too comfortable here, you're just a resource, an asset. Understood?"

"Understood," Serana said dismissively, eyes focused on Indis. "I'm sure you noticed the giant thing on my back. I have the Elder Scroll with me, and I'm sure it has something inside that will help us stop my father. Unfortunately, neither of us can read it."

"Who can, then?"

"From what I understand, Moth Priests undertake years of training and preparation before they read an Elder Scroll, and we'll need to find one to read the Scroll. Not that this information really helps us much, given that they're all half a continent away in Cyrodiil."

"A few days ago, some Imperial scholar arrived here in Skyrim. I was out on the road when he happened to pass by. That may be your Moth Priest," Isran interjected.

"Do you know where he might be now?" Indis asked.

"No…and I don't have time to waste looking for him. If you want to find him, that's on you," Isran said, striding away towards the stairs, leaving the two women to ruminate on where to find a Moth Priest.

"Where do you think we should start looking?"

Serana shrugged. "I can't be sure, but we could try asking anyone who might have seen or interacted with a traveler passing through. Carriage drivers, innkeepers…those sorts of people."

"Sounds like a decent place to start. I have to take care of something in Riften, want to start there?"

"Sure. But…before we go. I think it should just be you and me. I don't know if I trust your friend," Serana said, gesturing to Ralof, who crossed his arms and furrowed his brow.

"He'll just be travelling back with us to Riften," Indis replied quickly, hopeful that Serana wouldn't protest. "After that, it will just be us."

Serana nodded. "That's fine. But after that, just us. Now, let's head to Riften."

* * *

The trio arrived in Riften a few hours later, the heat of the afternoon sun beating down on them.

"Serana?"

"Yes? What is it?"

"I…think it would be best if you talked to people without me while we're here. I'm not exactly well-liked by many here in Riften, so I don't want to risk someone keeping valuable information to themselves because I'm there."

Serana raised an eyebrow. "Suit yourself. I'll start asking around, and then I think I'll get a room at the inn. I'm ready to get out of this sun. Not exactly good for my skin, if you catch my drift," she said with a small smile, pulling her dark hood tighter around her head as she made her way over to the Bee and Barb.

"Come with me?" Indis said, grabbing Ralof's hand, tugging him in the direction of the blacksmith. "I need to pick up my armor."

Balimund glanced up at her briefly, only acknowledging her with a small grunt. "Armor's done. Try not to get stabbed again, alright?" he said gruffly, swapping her armor for the small coin purse she held out.

"Indis, what did he mean when he told you not to get stabbed again?" Ralof asked, worry creasing his forehead.

"Nothing…I just ran into a bit of trouble with the mercenaries on my last job, that's all. Nothing big. I'm fine now, Mercer took care of me," she said, hoping he would drop it.

"Who is Mercer?" he asked, a hint of jealousy creeping into his voice.

"He's the Guildmaster, and I'm guessing he helped me since he didn't want to see one of his best thieves die," she snapped at him, regretting her tone as she watched his face fall. "Listen…I'm-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gotten angry."

"I shouldn't have gotten jealous. There's something I want to ask you," he said, nervously twisting at the small golden braid that hung by the left side of his face.

"What is it?"

"I was going to rent a room at the inn if you'd…if you'd stay with me tonight."

Indis tensed, stepping back away from him. He couldn't be asking her to…could he? "I…I don't think so," she replied coldly, trying to sound calm. "I don't think I'm quite ready to do…that."

"Oh…no. That's not what I meant. I don't know how long this Moth Priest thing will take you, and I don't know if I'll still be stationed in Shor's Stone when you return. I just wanted to be with you for a little while longer, that's all."

Indis let out a sigh of relief, glad that he hadn't been asking _that_ of her. She hadn't ever become that intimate with someone for a number of reasons, and she wasn't sure she was ready to start now. "I'm sorry I misunderstood you. Come; let's go to the Bee and Barb."


	17. Asking Again

"I'm sorry that took so long," Ralof apologized, setting two bowls of venison and potato stew on the table in their room before shutting the door behind him.

"Did something happen? I heard a fair bit of shouting, that's all," Indis replied, sliding into one of the chairs, setting to work on her dinner.

"Some fellow dropped his shield, and these two that were sitting down there got into a fight over who would get to keep it," he said, sitting down.

"Let me guess; was one of them a big, loud-mouthed blonde Nord woman with blue warpaint?" Indis asked, already certain of what his reply would be.

"Aye, she was. A friend of yours?"

"I…wouldn't exactly call her a friend, more of a thorn in my side," she shrugged, speaking in between mouthfuls of stew. "I figured she would have been involved. Was there an older fellow down there, wearing some fine clothes? There was? Well, once I saw that mercenary down there, oh, what was his name again? Marcurio! Once I saw Marcurio drop a cabbage, and she nearly beat that old man to death for it. Over a cabbage! And she has the nerve to call the Guild a bunch of greedy rabble," Indis said angrily, snorting with derision as she pushed her empty bowl away from her.

"I think you need to calm down and relax," Ralof said, nonplussed by yet another outburst of frustration, pushing a bottle of Black-Briar Mead to her. "Let's enjoy the evening."

* * *

A few hours later, Indis was feeling pleasantly lightheaded and relaxed, sprawled out in the large bed next to Ralof after downing a few bottles of mead. Over the past few hours, both of them had slowly removed more and more of their clothing, until they were in next to nothing. Resting her head comfortably in the crook of his neck, she lazily twirled her fingers in the blonde curls on his chest.

"Do you ever regret leaving Cyrodiil?" Ralof asked, the vibrations of his deep voice humming against the top of her head.

"I…I did at first, especially when I found myself starving, in a cold jail cell, or standing in front of the headsman's block. Well, but even then, I don't know if it was that I regretted leaving Cyrodiil, or if I just regretted choosing to come to Skyrim. I still don't know, but I'm glad I'm here," she replied, snuggling closer to him. "I'm glad to have met you."

"I'm glad to have met you, too. Ever think that the Divines saved us in Helgen? For some greater purpose?"

"Like what? Us meeting? I hardly think the Gods would care about that…"

"Perhaps," Ralof said with a shrug.

"Well, maybe the Divines favor the Stormcloaks in this war, and intervened to save the Jarl," she replied, mind working to create a ludicrous proposal.

"Or, perhaps the Dragonborn was there!"

"The what-born?" Indis said, sitting up with a laugh. "Now you're just making things up, Ralof."

"No, no! It's true. The Dragonborn is one with the body of a mortal, and the soul of a dragon, it's a blessing of Akatosh," Ralof replied solemnly, sitting up next to her. "Who knows…maybe I'm the Dragonborn, and I just don't know it yet!"

Indis stared at him, blinking furiously as she tried to process this information. After a few moments, she burst into laughter, clutching her sides as she wiped tears away from her eyes. "Pish posh," she said, struggling to speak through the laughter.

"Ahh, you're right. The greatest hero of legend probably wasn't in Helgen, but I really should punish you for disrespecting our legends and history," he said, his voice husky and eyes growing dark as his large arms pushed her down onto her back.

"Ralof," she gasped, mind and mouth unable to form words as one of his hands slid underneath her thin, worn tunic and traveled up across her stomach to her chest, leaving a burning trail in its wake. Her heart pounded as she felt the heat of his body as he climbed on top of her, pressing his body flush against hers, the firmness of his arousal pushing against her hips. She had told him that she wouldn't sleep with him, at least not tonight, but Indis found herself having difficulty wanting to keep to what she had said earlier. Ralof had raised both of her arms above her, pinning them down above her head as his mouth moved down from her neck, his lips leaving bruising marks in their wake. His hand slid out from underneath her tunic and set to work undoing the buttons of her top. Almost instinctively, Indis arched her back and raised her hips to meet his, her slim, lithe legs wrapping around his waist, pulling their bodies closer, her hips grinding against his. Ralof gave a muffled groan from between her breasts, and she was only pulled out of her aroused haze when he pulled back and moved his hands to his trousers, frantically fumbling with the ties that held them up.

"Ralof," Indis tried again, lowering her legs to the bed, placing a hand on his chest to push him back ever so slightly. "I-I don't think I'm ready for this."

"Indis," he replied, his voice a low, hoarse growl, moving off of her, hands working to retie his pants. "You…are a tease and temptress."

"I know, I'm sorry," she said, feeling genuinely embarrassed and guilty for letting things get that far before stopping him.

"It's alright. You did warn me earlier that you didn't want to, and I don't want to make you do anything you don't want to," he said, a hint of disappointment still in his voice.

"You don't?" Indis asked, buttoning her tunic back up.

"Of course not, Indis," he said, cupping her cheek with a rough, calloused palm. "I love you."

Indis' head spun, trying to process what he had just said, trying to figure out if he really meant it. "You…love me?" she choked out, shocked by his admission of affection.

"Truly, I do. I realized it after left you in Solstheim. I missed you, everything about you, and I realized that I wanted you, and only you. The bad with the good. Which is why I want to ask you something…again."

Indis froze, her hands clutching her tunic, her wide eyes focused on him. Ask her something…again? Could he mean…

"I was going to wait until after the war, do this properly, but I don't want to wait any longer. Life in Skyrim is short enough as is. Indis, I love you," he said, nervously rolling a plain, silver ring around in his hands, taking a deep breath before continuing. "You don't have to answer now, and if you do say yes, we don't have to go to the Temple of Mara right away, we can wait as long as you want, just…just the promise of being with you will be enough. Indis…will you be my wife?"

Indis looked down at Ralof, sweet, kind, tolerant, patient, forgiving, loving Ralof; taking in the nervous tremble of his hands, the hope in his anxious blue eyes. After a pause that seemed like an age, she reached out and delicately took the ring from his palm, slipping it onto her index finger. "I love you, too," she said, leaning down to seal the engagement with a kiss.

* * *

**Aww, look at those two, being all mushy and romantic! Please leave a review, I'd love to know how people are feeling about the story up to this point, and whether or not people would like to see some smutty love scenes in upcoming chapters. The rating will go up to an M if I decide to add it in, but if the good people want smut, I will gladly give it to 'em. :)**


	18. Of Meetings and Uncomfortable Encounters

The bleary light of dawn roused Ralof and Indis from their slumber, and the two quietly dressed, gathered their belongings and made their way to the first floor of the Bee and Barb.

"When will you be back?" Ralof asked, hand on the door that led outside.

Indis shrugged. "Not sure. I'm not sure how long it will take us to find what we're looking for. Skyrim is a pretty big place, but who knows…maybe Serana found some useful information yesterday."

"I hope so. Not only for the sake of the Dawnguard, but for mine. I'm going to miss you. Send a letter when you're back in Riften?"

"Of course I will," Indis said, stepping out into the early morning sun behind him, following him towards the gates of the city. "I'll miss you too," she said, standing on her tiptoes to give him a quick kiss.

Ralof pulled her into a tight embrace, both of them savoring the contact, the feeling for what seemed like an age before stepping back. "Love you," he whispered, with one final kiss on her forehead before letting go of her completely.

"Love you, too," she replied with a smile, watching him walk towards the gates as she twisted at the small silver ring on her finger. Engaged…to Ralof. Indis felt her stomach do small flips out of nervousness and excitement before shaking the thoughts away. She could ruminate on it later, right now; she had business to concentrate on.

She set off back towards the Bee and Barb, searching for Serana, spotting her sitting at the bar. It hadn't been difficult to find her; the massive Elder Scroll on her back was a dead giveaway. Indis slid onto a barstool right next to her, motioning for Keerava to bring her a drink.

"Here," the Argonian woman rasped venomously, slamming a tankard down in front of Indis with a glare, liquid sloshing out and landing all over Indis' hands. Keerava had been one of her first targets when she joined the Guild, and she certainly held grudges. Not that Indis could blame her; she _had_ threatened to hunt down her family over a meager amount of coin.

"You're quite popular around here, aren't you?" Serana said with a smirk, turning to look at Indis. "Did your…friend leave?"

"Yes, he's gone, don't worry. It's just the two of us now, as you asked. Find out anything useful?" Indis asked, taking a sip of her beverage, choosing to ignore the subtle jab.

Serana shook her head and sighed. "Unfortunately, no. Nobody knew anything about a Moth Priest, or where they might have gone. Any ideas?"

"No, not at the moment. Do you mind if I take care of some business I've got here before we set out to look elsewhere?"

"Not at all. Lead the way," Serana said, gesturing to the door, sliding off of the stool.

Indis stepped outside into the marketplace, hoping to see Brynjolf out. She still needed to speak to Maven, and he would likely know where she was. She had begun to walk forward when someone grabbed her by her arm.

"Excuse me, miss! I was told that you're Indis? Well, I've got some letters for you!" the courier said excitedly, digging around in the satchel at his side. "Ahh…hmm…let's see here…oh! Here we go. Well, two letters from Jarls! Moving up in the world, eh? That's it, I've got to be going now," the man said, shoving them in her hands.

Letters…from Jarls? Indis broke open the wax seal on the first one, trying to ignore Serana's curious gaze over her shoulder. The first was a letter of Jarl Balgruuf of Whiterun, asking her to come to his court as soon as she possibly could. The last time she had met the Jarl of Whiterun had been months ago, and even though he had said that he might ask for her help in the future, she hadn't thought that he would actually remember her. She stuffed the letter from Balgruuf in her pocket, turning her attention to the other one, quickly scanning over the writing. It was from the Jarl of Falkreath hold, a man by the name of Siddgeir. He claimed to have heard of her, and her exploits, and asked her to come to Falkreath to meet with him as soon as she was able. Placing the letter from Siddgeir with the other, she brushed them off. Jarls would have to wait.

"Are you going to go speak with them? Probably not best to ignore a summons from a Jarl," Serana asked.

"Err, perhaps. I have other things to focus on right now," Indis said, striding towards Brynjolf, Serana in tow. "Bryn! Have you seen Maven? Do you know where I can find her?"

"Lass! Good to see you. Aye, you can find Maven on the second floor of the Bee and Barb. It's where she conducts a lot of her…business," he said, setting down a bottle of Falmer Blood Elixer. He opened his mouth to continue speaking, but was interrupted by the loud, trilling accented voice of Mjoll. Brynjolf watched the blonde woman for a few seconds, then turned to Indis. "You know lass…I overheard Mjoll telling that little lapdog of hers that she just got back a very, very valuable sword she had once lost. Ah, it was a beautiful, valuable piece it was. It was glass, too. I believe she called it Grimsever."

Indis cocked an eyebrow and leaned in closer, still trying to figure out whether or not Brynjolf was about to suggest what she thought he was, waiting for him to continue.

Brynjolf placed a hand on her shoulder and leaned in close, giving a quick glance around. "Now, I heard that Talen-Jei won't allow Mjoll to bring weapons into the Bee and Barb anymore after that little…fiasco from last night. Shame to have to leave something that valuable…unattended," he said with a wink. "Good luck with Maven, lass. Just do as she asks, and you'll have no trouble. Now, as you were."

* * *

Maven Black-Briar was exactly where Brynjolf had said she would be. Indis had asked Serana to wait downstairs, but as she approached Maven, she was certain that she heard some soft, hesitant footsteps come up to the second floor. Shaking it off, Indis took a deep breath and approached the scowling, formidable woman before her.

"Are you the one Mercer sent? He told me he would send the best," Maven said with a frown, barely glancing up at the petite Imperial in front of her.

"I _am_ the best," Indis replied, hoping she sounded self-assured, and not as haughty as she felt.

"Is that confidence or arrogance that I hear?" Maven replied with a drawl, closing the book in front of her, finally giving Indis her full attention. "Funny how they're so often easily confused. "Enough of the chit-chat, I'm a busy woman. Now, you're here because I need information. More specifically, I need information on Honningbrew Meadery. You've heard of the place, I presume?"

Indis nodded, and Maven continued. "I want to know how Sabjorn, the owner got that place up and running so quickly. I want to know who he partnered with, where the money for the place came from. He's become my biggest competitor, and he's taken away far too much of my business. I need you to put an end to that, understand?"

Indis nodded again. "You want me to put Honningbrew Meadery out of business and find out who Sabjorn's business partner is."

"Correct. Talk to a man named Mallus Maccius in the Bannered Mare in Whiterun. He'll tell you exactly what needs to be done to make this happen," Maven paused briefly, her eyes narrowing, her gaze somehow even growing more intimidating and serious. "Understand that if you mess this job up, I will ensure that you never find work in Skyrim again."

"U-Understood," Indis squeaked, swallowing hard.

"Now, hurry. Don't waste time."

* * *

"Who was that? She sounded…like a bitch," Serana said with a pause, following Indis downstairs.

"Keep your voice down, do you want her to hear you! That's Maven Black-Briar, the most powerful woman in Riften, and the Guild's biggest client," Indis said, trying to shush Serana, hoping that Maven hadn't heard any of it.

"I overheard her say something about Whiterun, and one of those letters you got was from the Jarl of Whiterun…" Serana started, pausing for a few seconds. "I was thinking that perhaps we should head to Whiterun. It's a large hold capital in the center of Skyrim, so maybe we can find some more information about where this Moth Priest went, and you can get this job done and speak to the Jarl."

Indis opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted by Mjoll's loud, raucous cackle. She glared, at the woman, eyes widening when she noticed that a certain glass sword was missing from her side. Closing her mouth, she turned back to Serana with a smile. "That sounds like a brilliant plan. Mind if I take care of something quickly before we leave?"

* * *

"You're in the clear," Serana whispered, and Indis quickly crouched down and set to work on the lock to Aerin's house. It was surprisingly easy, considering that it was the residence of the biggest and most outspoken thief-hater in Riften. She slipped inside, making her way upstairs to where she knew the bedrooms would be. Mjoll and Aerin usually had long lunches at the inn, and hopefully by the time they returned, Indis and Serana would be miles away in a jostling carriage. She opened the door to the first room she came to, almost squealing with delight when she saw Grimsever lying on top of a dresser.

"Oh, you are beautiful," she sighed to herself, gingerly picking it up and wrapping it in a fur she had swiped off the back of a chair. It truly was a beautiful, enchanted sword; light, sharp, gorgeous craftsmanship, but Indis knew she couldn't keep it. It was too recognizable. Indis slid the covered sword in between her back and knapsack, hoping it stayed put, and began to make her way back out to the streets. Cracking the door open slightly, she peeked out and gave a loud whisper. "Serana?"

"No guards, come out."

Indis slipped out, shutting the door behind her. "Um, thank you…let's get out of here, shall we?"

* * *

"Just another hour or so to Riften!" the carriage driver, Sigaar, cheerfully called back to them, rousing them from their uncomfortable, bumpy sleep. Dawn was breaking, and soft sunlight began to creep over the grassy, rolling plains Whiterun hold. Indis blearily rubbed her eyes, blinking furiously as she struggled to adjust to the light. Yawning, she stretched her stiff limbs and slowly sat up.

"Where are you from?" Serana suddenly asked, turning to face Indis, blood red eyes focused on her travelling companion. "You're not a Nord, that much is obvious."

"I'm from Braviil, in southern Cyrodiil," Indis said, fighting to stifle another yawn. "If I had known there was a civil war going on, I probably would have gone elsewhere when I left, though."

"Ahh, yes…the civil war. I do remember hearing something about that while we were in Riften. Glad to know things didn't get boring while I was shut away. Do you have any family around?"

"My mother died when I was young. I-I don't really remember her much. My father was still alive when I left, but…well…it's a long story…" Indis said, shifting uncomfortably in her seat.

"Perhaps another time, then," Serana replied quickly, noticing Indis' evident discomfort. She pulled the hood of her black cloak up over her head. "I don't know about you, but I'm ready to get out of the sun."

* * *

It had been months since Indis had been to Whiterun, but the city was very much the same as she remembered. Whiterun, with its cobbled streets, clay houses and the intimidating structures of Jorrvaskr and Dragonsreach looming over the city below.

"I think I might head to the local inn, start asking around about our Moth Priest," Serana said. "I'll get a room for us to stay in, so just meet me there after you're finished with the Jarl. Oh, and if you can, ask about the Moth Priest, too."

Indis gave a small nod; stomach churning as she trudged towards Dragonsreach, not particularly enthused about meeting with Jarl Balgruuf. The large, blonde Nord had intimidated her with his fierce, regal presence during their first encounter, and she left his court extremely relieved and grateful that she hadn't been on the receiving end of his notoriously hot temper, something that Gerdur had warned her about.

Taking a deep breath and exhaling loudly enough to draw the attention of one of the guards standing by the entrance, Indis pushed open the doors to Dragonsreach, sincerely hoping she wasn't in any kind of trouble. Timidly striding forward, she found herself facing the Jarl's housecarl, Irileth.

"Ahh, it's you," the Dunmer woman said, her low voice calm and disinterested, beckoning for her to approach the Jarl. Indis walked forward, suddenly wishing she had taken the time to change out of what was very obviously Thieves Guild armor.

"Good to see you again, friend," Balgruuf said, giving Indis a small smile as she approached, his face lighting up slightly. "I was hoping my letter would find you. I had it sent to Riverwood at first, but I got a reply that you had left for Riften. I see why," he continued on, his eyes twinkling.

_Dammit! _Indis blushed deeply, now completely mortified that she had showed up to meet with Balgruuf in the sweaty, dusty armor of a thief. Biting her lip, she found herself hoping that a dragon would crash through the roof and devour her so that she didn't have to continue this awkward encounter any longer.

Balgruuf coughed and cleared his throat, sensing her discomfort. "I'm glad my letter finally found you. I have something, well, my court wizard has something that needs to be done, and I think you might be well-suited to the task. Come, let's go speak with him now," Balgruuf arose from his relaxed slouch and walked towards a room off to the side of the main chamber, waving to get the attention of a man in mage's robes. "This is my court wizard, Farengar. He'll fill you in on everything you need to know. Please come and see me again after you finish here."

Indis awkwardly stood in front of the wizard's desk, waiting for him to turn away from his enchanting table. She stood, waiting, when she felt a small tug on her arm to see a little girl staring up at her. "One of the new servants? Well, remember that I like my meat…rare," the child said before darting off.

After a few moments, he turned towards her, setting down the soul gems he had been holding. "So, the Jarl thinks you can be some use to me. Oh, and don't mind Dagny. She's one of the Jarl's children. What's your name?"

"Indis," she said quietly. "What do you need done?"

"Indis, eh? Nice to meet you. I'm Farengar, the Jarl's wizard. I've located something of great importance. It's called the Dragonstone, and it's within the ruin of Bleak Falls Barrow. It's a stone tablet with a map of all the dragon burial sites in Skyrim on it."

Indis absorbed the information, twisting her auburn hair between her fingers as she tried to place where she had heard of this place before. Ralof! It was the large ruin above Riverwood that he had pointed out multiple times. "That's south of Riverwood, correct?"

"Good, you already know where this place is. Now, I need you to go to the barrow and find this Dragonstone, no doubt interred in the main chamber, and bring it back to me. Simplicity itself. The Jarl seems to be confident in you, so I'm sure this will be quite easy for you. Now, off to Bleak Falls Barrow, no time to be wasted," Farengar said, waving a hand to dismiss her.

Indis turned, making her way back to the Jarl's throne.

"Did Farengar fill you in? Good! Now, you look hungry and weary. Will you share a meal with me?" Balgruuf asked, rising from his throne.

_Can I really say no to that?_ Indis silently mused before giving a small nod. "I'd be delighted, my Jarl."

"Please, call me Balgruuf," he said, pulling out a chair for her, moving to the opposite side of the table when she was comfortably seated.

"Who is this? Another wanderer here to lick my father's boots?" sneered a little boy, eyes narrowing as he looked at Indis.

"Nelkir! Leave, now!" the Jarl snapped, sternly pointing the direction his son was to take. Balgruuf sighed, and fidgeted with his beard. "Please, excuse my children. It's been difficult raising them with the war and given that they haven't had a mother in quite some time."

"I, uhh, I'm sorry," Indis replied, fidgeting nervously, twisting the ring on her hand, desperately wishing she could leave, uncertain of what else to say.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. How was the travel here?" he asked, turning the conversation to a milder, inoffensive topic.

"Fairly uneventful…there were a few bandits, and some wolves, but that was the worst of it," Indis said, scratching at her chin, suddenly remembering Serana's request to ask in Dragonsreach if there was any news of a Moth Priest. "Oh, you…wouldn't have happened to have heard anything about a Moth Priest passing through, or where they were going, would you?"

Balgruuf hesitated, taking a break from pouring wine to study her face to determine whether or not she was joking. "You mean one of those Imperial scholars that read Elder Scrolls?"

"…Yes."

"Do you have an Elder Scroll?"

"Yes, well, in a way. It's not mine, it belongs to a friend."

He stared at her for a few seconds, wine decanter in hand, before letting out a loud, booming laugh. "I'm glad to have met you."

_What in the blazes does that mean?_

"And no, I haven't heard anything about a Moth Priest, but if I do, I'll be sure to send word to you. Now, let's eat."

* * *

A few hours later, Indis left Dragonsreach, uncomfortably full of various meats, vegetables, and sweet treats. She hadn't eaten that well in a long time, and her body was having a difficult time adjusting to the rich food. After spending time with the Jarl, she had decided that she liked Balgruuf a great deal; he was kind and invested in the lives of his people, showing great concern for their well-being.

She arrived at the Bannered Mare a short time later, searching for Serana, stepping up to the barmaid when she didn't spot her. "Excuse me, did a woman with black hair and a, uhh, large…scroll on her back stop in here?"

"She sure did," the woman replied. "Sent her to a room upstairs, second on the left. Need anything else?"

"Yes, actually. Can you tell me where I might find a man named Mallus Maccius?"

"He's right back there in the kitchen," the woman said, flicking a dishrag towards the kitchens.

After thanking the woman, she headed back towards the kitchen, spotting a pasty Imperial sitting at a table, drinking alone. Upon her approach, he raised his head and looked at her with irritation, "Can't a man drink in peace?" he growled, setting his tankard down.

"Mallus? I'm Indis. Maven sent me."

Upon hearing those words his eyebrows raised, and the disdain disappeared from his face. "Maven sent you? Good, good! Sit down, and I'll tell you about our little plan. Comfortable? Good. Now, Sabjorn has a tasting coming up for the Captain of the Guard here in Whiterun. However, he's had, hrmm…a little bit of a pest control problem as of late. Filthy skeevers running all over the place, and he's had trouble taking them all out. What you're going to do is drop by the meadery and lend poor old Sabjorn a hand and offer to help out. Then, you'll poison the mead."

Indis furrowed her brow and leaned forward. "How am I going to get this poison that I need?"

"Oh, that is the _best_ part," he said, leaning forward. "You're going to get him to just give it to you! Casually happen across the meadery, kindly offer your assistance, and then take the poison he gives for the nest and put some in a boiler vat in addition to the nest."

"Wait, you want me to poison the nest, too?"

"Indeed. Maven is planning on turning that place into Black-Briar Meadery West once you take care of all of this. Listen, I've cleared away a path for you to reach the boiler room undetected. Follow that, and Sabjorn will have no idea what you've done. If I were you, I'd get on this tomorrow first thing before he finds someone else to clear out the skeever problem for him."

Indis rose from the chair, saying her goodbyes to Mallus, assuring him that she would get the job done properly as she made her way back out to the main room of the inn. She settled into a chair close to the fire pit, relishing in the warmth as she raised a bottle of mead to her lips.

"Why, hello there. Is there anything a big, strong man can do for you this fine day?"

Indis snorted, trying to keep the mead in her mouth. Looking up at the speaker, she saw that there was something very, very familiar about him. He was a tall Nord, with dark brown hair to his chin, black warpaint around his eyes, and was dressed in steel armor with wolves on it. Swallowing, she spoke. "I don't know…if you see any big, strong men around, let me know, will you?" she said with a laugh, a few nearby women joining in.

"Damned harpies, all of them," he muttered furiously, starting to walk away.

"Oh, now don't be like that," Indis said lazily, setting her mead down. What was it with these big, strong, weepy, and emotional Nord men? "I was just kidding, you know. A joke, alright? Don't go away mad."

"Alright," he said gruffly, stopping. "Mind if I join you? I'm Vilkas, by the way. One of the Companions."

Indis squinted, staring at him as he sat down. "I'm Indis. Do you have a brother, by any chance? Because…I could swear I've met you, or someone like you."

"Aye, I have a brother, Farkas. Have you met him?"

"I have, yes. A friend and I helped kill a giant a few months back. He told me," she said with a laugh. "That I should join you Companions, or whatever you are."

"Well, perhaps you should. You look…decently strong. There's great honor to be found amongst our ranks," Vilkas said, puffing out his chest.

"Honor, yes. That's fine, but does it pay well?" she asked, the mead in her belly making her more talkative than usual.

"Of course it does," he replied, his eyes raking over her body, taking in her Thieves Guild armor, letting an uncomfortable silence settle between them.

Indis yawned, and stretched. It was only late afternoon, but she was exhausted. Standing up, she turned to him. "Pleasure to meet you Vilkas, I'd best be going now."

"Aye, Indis. If you ever have any kind of business in Jorrvaskr…feel free to seek me out," he said, the flirtatious tone he had first greeted her with returning.

_Gods damn these strange men_, she thought to herself, rolling her eyes as she climbed the stairs, making her way towards the room Serana had rented. Softly knocking on the wood, she opened the door a tiny crack and peeked in to see Serana stretched out on the bed.

"Find anything out?"

Serana shook her head, looking defeated as she shook her hands with exasperation. "I…I thought for sure we'd find something here, but I was wrong. What about you, find anything important? What did the Jarl want?"

"No, nothing here either, unless you count learning that the Jarl has weird, bratty little children as something important. So, nothing. But…Jarl Balgruuf said he would send word if he heard anything about a Moth Priest," Indis said, tugging off her boots. "Oh, and he wants me to go into some old ruin and find a stone tablet for his court wizard."

"That sounds interesting…need any help?" Serana said, propped herself up with one arm.

Indis paused, slightly shocked. "You…want to help me? I thought you would be heading back to Fort Dawnguard."

"Listen, Indis. After standing up for me and protecting me from Isran, and agreeing to go on this wild goose hunt across the whole damn province, the least I can do is offer to help you. You don't have to accept it if you don't want, but the offer is there. I trust you, and I want to prove that you can trust me," Serana said quietly, sitting up and crossing her legs.

"Serana, uhh, thank you," Indis said, surprised to find herself blushing slightly. "I'd love to have you by my side."

"Wonderful," Serana said, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Now, what do we need to do?"

* * *

**Yay, another chapter! Up next is Bleak Falls Barrow and Honningbrew Meadery. I wanted to include more of Balgruuf (my most favorite jarl!), but that's going to go down in later chapters. We'll be seeing Vilkas again, pretty soon...but I don't want to spoil anything. What do you guys think will happen next? Have any questions for Indis?**


	19. Work to be Done

"What's the plan?" Serana asked, shielding her face from the morning sun as she and Indis made their way to the Honningbrew Meadery.

"We're going to just stop by, acting like we're there for some mead, when we happen to notice the big mess of a skeever problem he has. Being the good citizens that we are, we'll offer to help him take care of the mess like the good people we are. Once we convince him to let us help out, then we'll be able to do the dirty work. Sound like a plan?" Indis replied, spotting the Meadery. They had made excellent time.

"Sounds like a plan. Is this the place?"

"It is. Let's head inside," Indis said, opening the door for Serana, following her in. Once they were inside the meadery, they were greeted by a very irate, frustrated man surrounded by dead skeevers.

"What do you want?" he snapped, turning towards them, gesturing towards the dead pests on the floor. "I'm a little busy, if you can't tell."

"We were just hoping for some mead," said Serana, sitting down at the bar.

"But it looks like you're having quite a bit of trouble," Indis said, trying her best to sound genuinely concerned for his plight.

"You think?" Sabjorn spat, throwing the dishrag he had been using down on the floor in a huff, on the brink of a tantrum. "I have a tasting with the captain of the guard in a few hours, and my utterly worthless assistant Mallus has vanished."

"What if…we were to help you?" Indis asked, hoping he would get on board with this.

"Oh, and I'm supposed to think that you would just be doing this out of the goodness of your heart? Pah…well, I'm not really in a position to say no, I suppose. You'll get your money when you finish the job."

"Finish? How about I yell skeever instead?" Indis said, her greedier side revealing itself.

"Alright, alright! Here," he said, tossing her a large coin purse. "Half. You get the rest when you return. Here's the poison I want you to put on the nest, now hurry! The commander of the guard will be here in a few hours!"

* * *

"That was surprisingly easy," Indis said, unlocking the door to the basement of the meadery. "He seemed so suspicious of us when I offered help."

Serana shrugged. "He did, but I suppose he wasn't really in the position to turn down help. I'm guessing this place is crawling with skeevers, so stay alert."

Indis nodded, readying her crossbow. She found herself wishing she had a bow again, instead of the loud, clunky, slow-loading beast in her hands now. Eyes adjusting to the darkness of the dank basement, she was that Serana was right; there were half a dozen skeevers in the room alone. Luckily, they hadn't been detected yet. Indis raised her crossbow and fired a bolt, killing one immediately, but alerting the attention of the others. While Indis was reloading, Serana shot spikes of ice out of her hands, killing several others. Over the course of seconds, the two women had dealt with their first set of skeevers.

Serana walked over to one of the corpses, gingerly nudging it with her foot. "Something seem…off about some of these to you?"

"Maybe. They seem, I don't know…stronger somehow? I guess we need to be a little more careful than I thought."

* * *

The two slowly maneuvered their way through the dark, damp tunnels below the meadery, taking out skeevers and a few frostbite spiders along the way, growing ever closer to the skeever nest. They had step into another large, cavernous room when Serana grabbed Indis' arm. "Something doesn't feel right here. Be careful."

The warning couldn't have come soon enough; as soon as they rounded the corner, skeevers alerted a man hunched over an alchemy table to their presence. He whipped around, immediately launching spells at them. Indis knew that she didn't have time to deal with the crossbow, so she unsheathed Grimsever, slashing at the skeevers as Serana dealt with the mad mage.

"That was…unexpected," Indis gasped, wiping the blood off of the sword. She wasn't a good swordswoman, but she was going to miss Grimsever once she parted with it.

"Agreed. What was that fool doing down here?" Serana said. "Never mind, though. At least he's taken care of. I think I see the next over there. Still have the poison?"

"Sure do," Indis said, reaching for the two bottles that Sabjorn had given her. She dumped one on the next, reserving the other for the mead. She set off towards the other tunnel, relieved to see what appeared to be a basement. Slipping through the door, Indis and Serana found themselves in a large room with large, steaming vats.

"Mallus told me to put it in a specific one. I'll be right back," Indis said, climbing the stairs and walking along the edge of the second level, stopping above a vat. Leaning over the edge, taking care to not fall in, Indis dumped the second bottle of poison in.

"Let's go," she said snatching a key off a door hook once she had returned to Serana. "Don't want to keep Sabjorn waiting."

* * *

"Where have you been?" the irritated meadery owner hissed as they walked up to him. I had to stall Commander Caius. Is it done?"

"It is. What about the rest of our payment?"

"You're just going to have to wait until after the tasting," Sabjorn replied, making his way over to the guard captain, pouring the man a goblet of mead. "Now, Commander. I think you'll appreciate this. This is Honningbrew Reserve, my finest mead to date!"

Indis stood by Mallus, taking care to not let on that they had met before. The guard captain rolled his eyes and shrugged indifferently before throwing his head back and downing the mead. He swallowed, a smile on his face, opening his mouth to speak, when he suddenly dropped the goblet and grabbed his stomach. "Wha…what is in this?! Sabjorn, you told me this place was clean!" he choked out.

"I-I-I don't know…" Sabjorn offered frantically, tossing Indis and Serana a scathing glare.

"You…you're coming with me to Dragonsreach," the captain gasped, drawing his sword. "Go…now. You," he said gesturing to Mallus. "You're in charge now."

They watched the captain lead Sabjorn away, still clutching his pained stomach. After the door had closed behind Sabjorn and the captain, Mallus turned to Indis and let out a howl of pleased laughter.

"I can't believe that worked so perfectly! Went off without a hitch, too. Maven is definitely going to be pleased with you, my dear," he said, clapping a hand on her shoulder, looking incredibly happy. "We spent months working on that plan, and getting everything set up. Now, I'm going to get this place ready to become Black-Briar Meadery West. Additionally, I'd like to personally offer you my services as a fence. If you're in the area and you need to unburden yourself of anything that you, ahem, may not have legally acquired, I'd be happy to help. Need anything else before you go?"

"Thank you, Mallus. Actually yes, a couple of things. I need to look through Sabjorn's office, and find out who his business partner was. Also, how much can you give me for this sword?"

* * *

"You couldn't keep it, you know," Serana said absentmindedly to Indis as they climbed the path towards Bleak Falls Barrow. She brushed snow off of the small book she had been reading, and her slender snow white fingers flipped to another page.

"What? Oh, I know," Indis replied sullenly, stomping through the snow a little harder than necessary. "She would have recognized it for certain. Still, it was a beautiful sword," she said, sighing loudly. "What are you reading?"

"I found it on the body of that lunatic under the meadery," Serana replied, still flipping through. "He was breeding vicious skeevers to enact his revenge on people who taunted and mocked him, apparently."

"Skeevers? What that…" Indis trailed off as an arrow whizzed between their heads. They had arrived at the large, Nordic ruin, and there were several bandits outside. Indis fired a bolt after bolt from her crossbow, while Serana struck with ice and lightning.

"This must be that famous Skyrim weather," Serana said, jogging back to Indis, large, thick snowflakes swirling around them as the weather worsened. "It looks like all the bandits out here have been taken care of. Let's get indoors. I've spent my fair share of time underground, but even that would be better than this."

Trudging up the slick, icy steps, Indis and Serana arrived at a set of intricately carved iron doors. Once safely inside, they dusted the snow off their shoulders and out of their hair, ears pricking at the sound of human voices.

"So, what are we supposed to do? Just sit here while Arvel runs off with that claw," said a man's voice, heavy with irritation.

"That dark elf wants to go on alone ahead of us, he's more than welcome to. I'd rather him risk his neck than me," a female voice replied.

"Well, what if he doesn't come back?! I want my share of the treasure!"

"Oh, shut it. Keep an eye out for trouble, will you?"

The sound of people rising to their feet was a signal for Indis and Serana to ready themselves for a fight, and as soon as one of the bandits rounded the corner, they raised their sword and charged towards them. Serana occupied herself with the male bandit, draining the life from him with a spell. The female was readying her weapon, and Indis raised her crossbow and fired a bolt, the loud crack echoing through the stone chamber. The bolt hit the woman in the throat, leaving her unable to do anything but choke and gurgle. Indis walked over to her to check that she was dead, trying to avoid looking at the blood oozing from her throat or her still open eyes.

"You don't like killing, do you?" Serana asked quietly, stepping up behind her.

"Well…of course I don't. I just…I have a difficult time justifying it."

"Listen," Serana said, placing her hands on Indis' shoulders. "Nobody likes killing, but sometimes, it's what has to be done to ensure life. There are those in this world who would destroy you without a second thought, and anything you do or say in your defense doesn't matter. They'll kill you if you don't kill them. It's you, or them, and it's up to you to decide what it's going to be. Got it?"

Indis nodded, feeling a little bit better. "Thanks. We should keep moving," Indis said, setting off towards a hallway.

They made their way through the web of empty hallways before coming upon a large chamber with a bandit inside, attempting to disable a trap. Indis and Serana quietly waited at the entrance, crouching down to watch him fail and get taken down by darts. Once they were satisfied that everything was clear, they proceeded into the chamber.

"This looks like some kind of puzzle. Think we need to match these symbols on the pillars to the ones above?" Indis asked, pointing at a large stone pillar with a whale on it.

"Your guess is as good as mine. Here, let's get these turned."

After a few moments of strenuous efforts and loud grunting, they had managed to turn the three pillars in the room. Indis placed her hand on the lever that the bandit before had pulled, and took a deep breath as she pulled, expecting the sound of darts shooting out of the wall, but was met with the sound of an iron gate swinging open.

"You did it!" Serana said enthusiastically as she adjusted the Scroll on her back. "At this rate, we'll be out of here in no time.

They passed through the door, heading deeper underground in the ruin via a spiral staircase. As they went lower, they were met with thick, sticky cobwebs stretched across walls and doorways.

"Is someone there? Help me, please! I know I went ahead with the claw, but I need help now!" called out a panicked voice. Indis and Serana clawed away at the cobwebs, hoping to find their way to whoever it was calling out. After clearing an entrance, they stepped into another large chamber and were greeted with the largest frostbite spider Indis had ever laid eyes upon. Fortunately, they were able to destroy it with little effort due to its previous injuries.

"Hey! You two, over there! Help me! Let me down, and I can show you the secrets of this place," said a dark elf, wiggling in the little web cocoon that the spider had formed around his body to save him for a meal later. "The ancient Nords hid all kinds of wonderful wealth and riches down here."

"Alright, just don't go running off, alright?" Indis said, unsheathed the steel sword she had taken off the bandit who had failed the puzzle, slicing away at the web that coated the man.

Once free, he took off down the hallway behind him at a sprint, laughing and yelling back at them. "I'll never share!" he called back, his voice fading in the distance.

Indis and Serana simply looked at each other and sighed. "I suppose we can try to catch up to him," Indis said, sweeping aside web that blocked the doorway.

They journeyed further and further into the tomb, managing to sneak past most of the draugr in the catacombs, taking down the few that they had awakened with steel and magic.

"Look," Serana whispered, pointing ahead at a crumpled form on the ground. "I think that's our friend."

Indis knelt down by the body, and turned it over. It was the elf that they had encountered earlier. Digging through his bag and pockets, Indis found a large ornate claw made of solid gold. "I think this is what our friend was telling about. Who knows, it may be useful later," she said tucking it into her bag.

Continuing onwards, they avoided more draugr and sprinted, ducked and rolled through a few hallways filled with swinging blades, and passed by a room with a gorgeous waterfall before finally arriving before a large iron door. There were three rings with different animals on them, and in the center, several smaller holes.

"I think…that claw has something to do with this. Tell me what the animals are, and I can move the rings," Serana instructed. Indis followed suit, and after Serana had shifted the rings to what they believed were the correct order, Indis slid the claw into the holes. There was a loud clicking sound, followed by the sound of a door that hadn't been opened for centuries shifting and grinding open.

"We make a pretty good team, you know," Serana said with a smile as she turned to Indis.

"That we do," Indis replied, walking up the steps that had been revealed, gasping with delight at the sight before them.

It was a large chamber, complete with several waterfalls, light filtering in from a hole in the ceiling, and the chatter of birds.

"This is…amazing. Makes everything else worth it, you know?" Serana whispered, just as in awe as Indis.

Climbing up more steps, Indis' ears were flooded with the sound of chanting, of wind whistling through her ears, noticing that it was getting louder and louder as they got closer to the top of the steps, to a wall with intricate carvings on it in a language Indis wasn't familiar with. She paused, looking at Serana. "Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"Nothing. Let's find this Dragonstone," Indis replied hurriedly, hoping Serana didn't find her question odd. Surely she wasn't the only one hearing this sound? They reached the top of the platform, and Indis walked over to the wall, noticing that a set of carvings, words, whatever they happened to be was glowing with an eerie blue light. She cautiously made her way closer, curiosity overcoming the anxiety brought on by the sounds in her head and the glowing words. Arriving in front of the wall, she was completely taken aback by what happened next. Her vision dimmed, the voices, the wind thrummed wildly, pounding in her ears, and the glow of the word became blindingly bright, almost swirling around Indis as it seemed to jump off the wall. As quickly as this event had begun, it was over.

"Indis, are you alright? What was that?" Serana said, stepping forward, noticeably concerned.

Indis opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted by the loud crack of the sarcophagus next to Serana bursting open, revealing a draugr more threatening than any they had encountered thus far. Indis stumbled back, reaching for her crossbow, shakily sliding a bolt into place as the deafening crackle of Serana's magic penetrated the air. Looking up, she saw Serana on the ground, clutching her side, badly injured. Indis raised the crossbow and fired, hoping that the weakened draugr would be quickly taken down. No such luck.

The draugr advanced on her quickly, raising its greatsword, ready to swing it down when a sharp spike of ice pierced its skull, causing it to drop it sword and clumsily fall down the steps, finally laying still once it had reached the bottom.

Climbing to her feet, Indis rushed over to Serana, quickly grabbing the stone tablet inside the draugr's coffin in the process. "Serana! You're hurt," Indis said reaching out. "I know a healing spell…"

"It won't work. Healing spells only have an effect on the living," Serana coughed, smiling ruefully. "I need to feed. Help me up, and we can go find those bandits we killed earlier, they should still have plenty of blood left in them…"

Indis stared at Serana as she trailed off, taking in her pained expression, her pale skin which had somehow grown whiter. "Feed on me," Indis said quietly.

"What? No! I can't."

"Why not? You just saved my life, so let me save yours. I'd be dead now if it wasn't for you. Please, just feed on me," Indis insisted, kneeling down in front of Serana.

"I could…I could kill you, you know. I could get carried away. Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. I trust you," Indis replied, making eye contact with her.

"I'm sorry if I hurt you. This might feel a little uncomfortable," Serana said uneasily, placing one hand on the side of Indis' head and the other on her shoulder. She lowered her mouth to Indis' neck, only the tiniest flinch meeting her as she sunk her fangs in and began to feed.

Indis tried to clear her mind, focus on something other than what was happening, but that was proving very difficult. Serana's lips moved against her neck, and her tongue reached out to lick away a small trail of blood that had escaped her mouth, causing Indis to shudder. The feeling of her companion's mouth on her neck, her tongue grazing tender skin, her hands grasping her body tightly was…surprisingly pleasant. Indis tried to stifle a small moan of pleasure, but failed as her vision swam, her heart pounded, and she very suddenly lost consciousness.


	20. Trouble in the Rift

The soft splash of a waterfall, the dim light of dawn, and the chatter of waking birds greeted Indis as she wearily dragged her eyes open and blinked slowly. She was lying on her back on the mossy, dirt-covered floor of a cavern, and she pushed herself up into a sitting position, her stiff limbs and aching muscles protesting loudly.

"Oh, thank the Gods," she heard Serana say, relief in her voice as she helped Indis find a more steady position to sit in.

"What…what happened?" she said, rubbing at a sore spot on her neck, wincing when her fingers made contact with the tender flesh.

"You let me feed on you after I was injured," Serana said nervously, her deep red eyes downcast and embarrassed. "I really shouldn't have, considering how tired and weak we both were. I'm glad you're alright, though."

"Serana, it's fine, it really is."

"Indis, it really isn't. I could have killed you! What's Isran going to say once he sees?"

"You didn't kill me, so don't worry about it. Isran isn't going to find out, so don't worry about that either. Are you feeling better?" Indis mumbled, gesturing to where Serana had been wounded.

"Yes, I am. Thank you for asking. We really should be going now, if you're feeling up to it, that is. I don't think there are any more draugr around, but I'd really not risk it," Serana said, helping Indis to her feet, still avoiding her eyes.

Indis rubbed the tender spot on her neck again, feeling herself flush with embarrassment as she thought about how aroused she had become when Serana had fed on her, how she had moaned very loud. She sincerely hoped that Serana hadn't noticed. "Uhh, that sounds like a good plan," she said, clearing her throat awkwardly, now following Serana. Let's get this Dragonstone thing back to the Jarl and his wizard, and…I think I might know what to do with this golden claw that we've got here."

* * *

Indis walked into the Riverwood Trader, brushing some of the dust of travel off her armor, making her way over to the counter. During her time living in Riverwood, she had heard Lucan and his sister Camilla fight constantly about an ornate golden claw that had been stolen from them. If returning this helped them, so be it. She could find plenty of coin elsewhere.

"Indis! What brings you back to Riverwood? Gerdur said you had moved to Riften," Lucan called out from behind the counter.

"Oh, just in the neighborhood," she said, leaning against the counter with a smile. "Say, I found this golden claw on a bandit, and I believe it belongs to you."

Lucan picked up the claw, his eyes widening. "Our claw! Where'd you find it?!"

"Just on a bandit, out there," she said gesturing towards the door, choosing to leave out the specific location.

"Well, I can't thank you enough, friend. Here, take this. It's not much, but it's just a little something to show my and Camilla's appreciation," he said, pushing coin purse towards her.

"Thank you, Lucan. I appreciate it. Say, are Gerdur and Hod around?"

"Sorry, no. Their mill had a delivery to make, and they left a few days ago to take care of it."

Sighing, Indis said her final goodbyes to the siblings of the Riverwood Trader and stepped back out onto the streets of Riverwood, joining Serana again. Time to drop off that Dragonstone and head back to Riften.

* * *

Indis walked through the main chamber of Dragonsreach, making a beeline for the wizard Farengar, the large stone tablet clutched against her chest. He raised his head from his meal when he heard her approaching footsteps, and looked rather pleased to see her.

"You're back, with the Dragonstone, and you're still alive. I suppose the Jarl may have been right about you after all," Farengar said, rising from his chair. "Come on, bring it over here."

Indis followed the man to his study, and set down the Dragonstone where he indicated. "Is there anything else that's needed?"

"Needed? Not from me, no. I do think the Jarl wanted to see you, though. He asked me to send you his way once you returned."

She nodded, adjusting her knapsack as she found her way back over to the Jarl's throne, awkwardly clearing her throat when she reached Balgruuf's throne.

"Glad to see that you made it back! I told Farengar that you would get what he needed, no problems. I have something for you, a thank you for all that you've done," Balgruuf said, motioning to his housecarl, who brought something forward. "These are difficult times, and it's good to have reliable, trustworthy people like you around. Consider this a token of my appreciation."

* * *

"It's beautiful, isn't it Balimund?" Indis sighed, running her hands over the gorgeous Dwarven bow that Balgruuf had given her, still unable to believe that his thank-you gift had been something so finely crafted and beautiful.

"It's nice, alright. From the way you've been starin' at it all morning, it almost seems as though you want to marry it, or something," he replied gruffly, hammering a piece of heated steel. "What unfortunate soul did you take that from?"

"It isn't stolen, if you must know," she said, clutching it tightly to her chest. "It was a gift from someone."

"If you say so, Indis."

She placed the bow on her back and leaned against the wall of the Scorched Hammer, closing her eyes as she soaked up the sunlight beaming down. It was good to be back in Riften.

"Indis?" said a voice.

Her eyes snapped open, and they widened in shock. "…Vilkas, right? What are you doing here?"

"I was sent by the Companions in Whiterun to settle a dispute. Someone sent word that you've been causing trouble," he replied, looking uncomfortable. "You know what needs to be done, so do it."

"I don't have to take that from you," she snapped at him, eyes narrowing. "Don't tell me what to do."

"I was hoping that you'd take the easy route, and settle this peacefully, but it doesn't look as though that's going to be the case."

"Well then, how are you going to settle it now?" Indis asked, her irritation growing. Causing trouble? Who had summoned the help of the bloody Companions?

"In cases like this, a brawl."

"I can take you!" she said, unstrapping her bow and placing it on the ground before turning around to face him. He was bigger, stronger, and wearing better armor, but she was small, fast, and it seemed as though he was reluctant to fight her. Hopefully, those factors would help work to her advantage.

He sighed and shrugged, raising his fists, stepping towards her. Indis took the first swing, surprised when her right hook actually landed on his jaw, silently cursing to herself when a massive jolt of pain shot up through her arm. Shaking it off, she stepped back, avoiding the punch he threw at her, and then jumping forward quickly to land another punch on his face. Indis was starting to feel rather pleased with herself, quite happy that she had been able to land a few hits already. However, her silent gloating was immediately interrupted when Vilkas' massive, steel-plated fist landed square in her gut. Indis collapsed to the ground, coughing and sputtering as the wind was knocked out of her.

By this time, those in the marketplace had begun to gather around, their voyeuristic sides showing as they called out a mix of cheers and jeers. She pushed aside the sensation of wanting to vomit and staggered to her feet sloppily, her eyes making direct contact with his. Indis threw another punch, this time with her left hand, aiming for the soft, vulnerable flesh of his face, but she missed, her slow-moving fist instead landing on the steel armor he wore. She bit down hard on her lip, tasting the metallic tang of blood, as she clutched at her hand, swearing furiously as she stumbled backwards. The pain was unimaginable, and she was pushed further to the brink of vomiting or blacking out.

While she had been loudly cursing him and trying to push aside the pain in her left hand, Vilkas's fist made contact with her torso again, and this time when she collapsed, she didn't get up. Indis fell to her knees, chest heaving, head spinning, entire body aching. Despite this, she still wasn't ready to give up. With her last bit of energy, Indis raised her head. The last thing she felt before losing consciousness was Vilkas' heavy fist making contact with her jaw.

* * *

Everything was blurry, dim, and seemed to swim and dance before her eyes, leaving Indis unable to be certain of where she was or what was happening. She was propped up in a bed somewhere, wrapped in numerous furs. Indis made a moved to stand up, but felt a pair of hands gently push her back down.

"Easy there," said a familiar male voice. "Stay still. You're doing better, but Elgrim said those potions are some powerful stuff, and may make your mind a little off."

She groaned, her fuzzy vision focusing on the figure in front of her. Shoulder length blonde hair, plenty of facial hair, and…was that a braid she saw?

"Ralof," she slurred happily, clumsily raising a hand to grab at the collar of his shirt.

"Indis, I don't think…" he began, but was cut off as she used her little bit of strength to pull his mouth down to meet hers, her tiny hands tangling in blonde hair. He tensed initially, but she felt him relax as she pulled him closer, deepening the kiss, facial hair bristling against her skin as her mouth moved against his. One large hand wrapped around her neck, the other gently sliding down to the small of her back. He softly bit at her lip, his tongue entering her mouth, seeking hers and she gave a quiet muffled moan in response before breaking away.

"It's time for sleep, I think," she mumbled, falling into a peaceful, potion-induced slumber.

* * *

**Dun dun dun! Maybe I should change the name of the story to Indis: Queen of Unconsciousness, eh? Who do you think asked the Companions to take care of Indis and her trouble making? And was that Ralof she was smoochin' at the end? Or...was it someone else? Leave your guesses in a review! As always, love and cookies to all! :)**


	21. Removing the Thorn

Indis opened her eyes after a long, restful sleep, taking in her surroundings, sitting up in the tiny little bed she was in. Where was she? Perhaps a room in the Bee and Barb? Rubbing her temples, her mind worked to recall the events of the past 48 hours. There was the brawl with Vilkas and then…Ralof! He had been there! She hurriedly pulled on her dirty boots that had been sitting by the bed, and stepped out of the little bedroom, trying to place where she was at.

She recognized the bare furnishings, the two chairs sitting by the hearth fire, the food on the floor. This wasn't Riften's inn, it was the Scorched Hammer, which meant that Ralof hadn't been here, and it hadn't been Ralof she had kissed. Indis was frozen in place, trying to figure out what she should do next when she heard the turn and click of a doorknob opening. The door opened, and Balimund stepped through, looking surprised to see her up.

"You're uh, you're finally awake," he said gruffly, sitting down in a chair, opening a bottle of mead. "Wasn't a fair fight, you know. Big man like that, in full armor."

"It's fine," Indis replied quickly, hoping he would just let her leave. "Thank you, by the way."

"You're welcome," he mumbled quietly, taking a sip of mead.

Balimund and Indis refused to make eye contact, and she quietly muttered a thanks to him as she made her way over to the door, placing her hand on the knob, ready to make her escape.

"Oh, and it was Mjoll who sent for the Companions. But I guess you probably figured that out."

Indis paused, her hand gripping the doorknob a little firmer. "Mjoll? What…how do you know?"

"Got it out of that man, the one who nearly beat you to death. I supposed she figured hiring the Companions would look more honorable than going after you herself."

"Thank you, Balimund."

"Indis, wait," he said, tossing aside the now empty mead bottle, standing to face her. "I wanted to talk to you. Now, I know that what I say probably won't change your mind, but I just want you to think about all of this, about what you're doing with your life. Something tells me that this matter with Mjoll isn't the end of it, and if you don't watch yourself, you're going to find yourself at the bottom of the canal, and I'd rather not see that."

She remained silent, still refusing to face him, her hand clutching the doorknob even harder, causing her knuckles turning white. Balimund remained nonplussed by her silence, and continued.

"You're a grown woman, and you can do what you please, but I just want you to think about all of this business with the Thieves Guild, not just for your sake, but uh…others, too. And if you do ever decide to wrap up your present business, you'll always be welcome here at the Scorched Hammer."

"I…I need to go," she whispered quickly, slipping through the door before he could say anything else.

* * *

"Indis! Where have you been?" called out a voice, and she turned to see Ralof waving her down, looking happy to see her.

"I'm sorry, I've been busy," she said, feeling slightly guilty as she kissed his cheek, thinking back to the kiss she had shared with Balimund not that long ago. "There's been lots going on with the Guild, and the Dawnguard. What are you doing here?"

"I was hoping we could talk, actually," he said as he sat down on a simple wooden bench, motioning for her to join him.

"About what?"

"Well…I was hoping we could set a wedding date. One that's soon."

Indis tried not to frown as she processed his words, biting her lower lip as she ran her fingers through her short crop of hair, pausing to scratch her scalp. Hadn't he just said a few weeks ago that he would be fine with waiting? "I…I don't know if now is the best time. Work is picking up with the Guild, and Serana and I still haven't found a Moth Priest yet, so I think I should make those my priorities right now."

He sighed, and his face fell, leaving him looking extremely dejected.

"But I…I can't really talk about this right now," she stammered, anxious to break the awkward silence. "Could we meet at the Bee and Barb later this evening?"

"Alright, I'll see you then," he said rising, setting off in the direction of the inn. As Indis watched him walk away, she happened to catch the smug, self-satisfied stare of Mjoll the Lioness.

* * *

"It's about time you got here," Mercer said, crossing the Cistern to meet her. "Maven brought me the papers you found at Honningbrew, and the same strange symbol on the bill of sale from Goldenglow is on them as well. It looks like we have some outside competition that's trying to take the Guild apart from within. Very, very clever."

Indis cocked an eyebrow, and tried to not sound annoyed when she spoke. She was still worn and exhausted, and desperately wanted to get into a change of clothes. "It sounds as though you admire them, whoever they are."

"Don't mistake my admiration for complacency, Indis. Our adversary has been one step ahead of us the whole time, but they finally slipped up. There's a name mentioned on the bill that's an old corroborator of the Guild's, it's an old alias that they used. He's an Argonian dockworker for the East Empire Company, and I want you to go to Solitude to the Winking Skeever and find out what you can from him. His name is Gulum-Ei. Talk to Brynjolf to get some more information on what you need to do, and then meet me in the practice room."

She furrowed her brow, watching Mercer walk away, wondering why in Oblivion Mercer wanted her to meet him in the practice room. Shaking it off, she sought out Brynjolf in the Ragged Flagon.

The redhead was sitting at his usual table when she arrived, looking relieved when he saw her approach. "Lass, I've been worried sick about you. I heard about…about Mjoll," he said with a frown as he set down his quill, spitting the woman's name out venomously. "I tried to see you while you were recovering, but Balimund was furious, wouldn't let me anywhere near you. Glad to see you were well taken care of, though."

"It's fine," Indis said quietly, giving a small shrug as she slid into the chair across from him. "Now, Mercer wanted me to ask you about Gulum-Ei?"

"Ahh, Gulum-Ei. He's an old contact of the Guild's, but I'm sure Mercer told you that. Hard to believe he's mixed up in all of this, that Argonian couldn't even find his own tail," Brynjolf said, pausing with a laugh. "From what I understand, Mercer wants you to find out who is trying to take down the Guild by getting the information from Gulum-Ei. Now, he's used to dealing with thieves, so it's likely that he's not going to willingly give up information, probably out of fear for his own life."

"If he doesn't tell me what I need to know, then what should I do?"

"Lass, you'll probably have to pay him to get him to talk at all. Even then, he still isn't likely to tell you everything you need to know. If you follow him, you may be able to find out more information. Gulum-Ei is going to be a valuable resource, so keep him alive. Good luck, lass. Stay safe out there, alright?"

Indis stood and nodded, setting off towards the practice room to meet Mercer, still unclear about what he wanted.

"Took your damn time," Mercer said as she entered the room. "It became clear when you stumbled in here half-dead after the Goldenglow job that you needed to learn how to use a damn sword."

"I know how to use one," Indis huffed indignantly. _Well, kind of. I do know that the pointy bit goes into the other person, not me…_

"Oh really now? Care to demonstrate?" Mercer said with a grand flourish, gesturing to one of the well-used and beaten practice dummies.

Indis stepped forward, clumsily unsheathing the steel sword she had plundered from a dead bandit, determined to prove to Mercer that she could defend herself. She held the blade up, lunging at the dummy, a loud "twack" resounding through the air as the sword made contact with it, sending a small cloud of dust into the air.

"Again," he demanded, crossing his arms.

She stepped forward again, lunging, thrusting, stabbing, and hitting at the dummy over and over again until Mercer held up a hand to indicate for her to stop.

"After watching that pathetic little performance, I am at a loss. How have you survived in Skyrim this long?"

Indis scowled at him, struggling to catch her breath. "It wasn't…that bad," she wheezed breathlessly.

"Keep telling yourself that, kid. You're slow, sloppy, out of shape, and have no form. If that had been a real fight, you'd be dead now. Fortunately for you, I'm going to teach you how to use that thing you were just so carelessly waving around."

"I didn't ask for your help," Indis muttered, tensing.

"Not directly, but you did when you came in here that night about to bleed to death. Now, take this," he said, tossing a beat up wooden sword for her to use. "We'll start with this, and once you learn proper form, then you get to use the grown-up weapons."

* * *

Indis trudged up the stairs to the second floor of the Bee and Barb, rubbing the sore muscles of her arms. It had been what Mercer had said would be their first session, and despite the fact that she had little experience with a blade, he hadn't gone easy on her at all. He had forced her to practice lunging, thrusting, sparring, and whatever the blazes swordsmen do over and over again until she was kneeling on the floor, gasping for air. The entire time, she had been unable to land a single blow on him, but Mercer's wooden sword made harsh, stinging contact with her body multiple times.

She pushed open the small door to the room Ralof had rented, and entered, joining him at the small table.

"You look worn."

"I am," she replied, setting her head down on the table after she slid into the seat. "I just had training. Have anything to drink?"

"I do actually," he said, pouring some spiced wine into a pair of goblets.

Indis gratefully took the goblet handed to her, and took a large sip, making a face. "Is this wine off? Something about it takes odd, wrong," she said, sniffing it as she wrinkled her nose.

Ralof took a sip, and then shrugged. "Tastes fine to me."

"I suppose I was wrong, then," Indis replied, downing the rest of the wine, trying to ignore the odd taste. "You said you wanted to talk about this…wedding."

"I did, and I've been thinking about what you said, and since you feel like it'd be best to wait, then we can wait until things slow down."

Indis smiled, giving a small sigh of relief, reaching across the table to grab his hand, surprised at the minimal amount of protest she had had to deal with. "You know, I've, uhh, been thinking about something," she started nervously, a faint blush creeping across her cheeks.

"What's that?"

"I think I'd like to…you know. I thought about you, about this, quite a bit while we were apart. If you want to, that is."

Ralof's eyes widened, and he grinned. "Of course I do! Are you…are you sure you're ready?"

"I am," she said, moving over to him, straddling him as she climbed onto his lap, leaning down to kiss him.

* * *

The loud chirp and chatter of insects floated in through the open window, a cool, calming night breeze following the sound in, sending a chill down Indis' bare skin. She shifted her position in the bed, trying to ignore the stickiness of Ralof's seed between her legs as she moved closer to him, settling down in the crook of his neck with a satisfied sigh.

"That was my first time, you know," she said quietly, draping an arm across his chest.

"Why didn't you say?" Ralof asked, sounding slightly surprised; worry making its way into his voice. "I hope I didn't hurt you. Did I?"

"No. Well, perhaps a little at first. Don't worry. As far as first times go, I enjoyed mine quite a bit," she said, her mouth forming a wicked smile. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to see if I enjoy the second time just as much."

* * *

She sat at the small table, fingers anxiously tracing the grain of the wood before setting to work tapping a frantic, nervous rhythm on the dark wood, her left leg bouncing up and down. Indis inhaled sharply, moving her shaking hands to adjust the dark black tunic she was wearing.

The idea was absolute madness. It had crept into her mind as she had left the safety of the Scorched Hammer, as she had made eye contact with Mjoll across the marketplace. The blonde had looked so pleased with herself, giving Indis a satisfied, smug smirk, before turning to back to her little lapdog Aerin. As Indis lay in bed with Ralof the previous night, eyes wide open and completely awake as she listened to his soft snore, Serana's words echoed through her mind.

"_There are those in this world who would destroy you without a second thought, and anything you do or say in your defense doesn't matter. They'll kill you if you don't kill them. It's you, or them, and it's up to you to decide what it's going to be."_

The words that she had ruminated on for hours. The words that had led her here. Indis had been sitting at the small table for hours, breathing heavily; trying to work up the nerve to do what she had decided must be done.

_It's now or never_, she thought to herself, pulling on the dark cowl that she had brought with her as she stood up. Indis softly, hesitantly made her way upstairs, slowly, cautiously opening the door she knew to belong to Mjoll, before stepping inside. She shut the door behind her, never taking her eyes off the sleeping woman in front of her. Mjoll was lying on her back in a deep, peaceful slumber, wearing only a simple shift instead of her usual heavy, protective banded iron armor. Indis unsheathed one of the Elven daggers she had stolen on Solstheim, testing the blade's sharpness with the tip of a delicate finger. It took very little pressure to draw blood, and she wiped the small bit of crimson that had pooled at the tip onto her pants, satisfied with her weapon of choice. She stepped forward, hovering above Mjoll, her heart nearly stopping when the woman snorted, moving slightly as though she was about to wake up, before settling back into the heavy breathing indicative of deep sleep. Indis silently released the breath she had been holding, hand clenched around the golden hilt of the dagger.

Done hesitating, Indis quickly placed a firm hand over Mjoll's mouth to muffle any protestations as she plunged the dagger deep into the Lioness' heart.

* * *

**Well, that escalated quickly...I decided I wanted Indis to get a different introduction to a certain organization. Things are about to begin to get a lot weirder and a lot darker, so stay tuned for all of the excitement. As always, thank you for reading!**


	22. The Black Hand Print

The soft, gentle waves of Lake Honrich gently lapped at the soles of Indis' shoes, the cold water slowly seeping through the leather, numbing the skin beneath. Dark grey clouds covered the sky, the feeble light of early dawn struggling to break through. Indis let out a deep sigh, her breath forming a small fog in the morning chill. She had stumbled here hours ago and had been laying on the shore, her body and mind exhausted after what she had done.

Every moment of it was seared into her mind, a memory that hadn't ceased to keep replaying itself over the past few hours. She had run out of Aerin and Mjoll's home, her entire body shaking, heart pounding as she slipped through the streets of Riften, clinging to the shadows, scaling the wall of the city, avoiding the gates, and had eventually collapsed on the muddy banks. Remarkably, she hadn't thrown up. Tears had flowed freely at first, regrets escaping in the form of loud, choking sobs, but that had been hours ago. Since then, the tears had stopped, leaving dry, glassy eyes and clean streaks through the dirt on her cheeks. The dagger she committed the act with was still clutched in her hand, the gleaming gold stained with the brown-red hue of dried blood of her first murder. She was on her back, her worn limbs stretched out in all directions, feeling too empty at the moment to even contemplate movement. A twig snapping in the back ground echoed through the trees, sending surprised birds off into flight, Indis didn't respond to the sound.

"What the _fuck_ did you think you were doing?" demanded a harsh, furious, rough voice behind her.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Mercer," she responded, surprisingly calm, her green eyes still focused on the dark grey clouds above.

He stormed over, his furious face replacing her view of the clouds as he knelt down over her. "Cut the bullshit, kid. So, I'm going to ask you again: what did you think you were doing?"

Indis lay silent, her eyes never leaving Mercer's as she contemplated what her reply would be. "I did it for the Guild."

"You did it for the Guild?" he sputtered incredulously, grabbing her roughly by the shoulders, jerking her up into a sitting position so that her remarkably composed face was inches away from his angry red one. "Have you learned _nothing_? The first rule is to keep your blade clean, you idiot! Do you know what kind of trouble you may have caused for the Guild? For yourself?"

She pulled out of his vice-like grip and clambered to her feet. "I did it for the Guild," she repeated again, with greater conviction, hoping that perhaps if she kept to the idea that what she had done was noble, an act of protection, she might actually believe it herself. "Mjoll was making things too difficult."

"Yes, yes she was," Mercer growled, rising to his feet and taking a step towards her, brushing sweaty grey-blonde hair out of his face. "But murder isn't how the Guild deals with its problems. If you want to slaughter those who get in your way, join the Dark Brotherhood."

Indis crossed her arms, staring at him with an impassive expression on her face. "I have two questions."

"What?" he spat, his fierce glare unwavering.

"How did you know it was me? Also, you just mentioned that I 'may have' caused problems. What's with the uncertainty?"

"If you must know," he said, taking another step forward. "It wasn't too much of a challenge to figure it out. Mjoll winds up dead a few days after a Companion shows up to beat you to Oblivion? Well, it's pretty damn obvious who the number one suspect is going to be."

"What's the answer to my second question?"

"I said 'may have' because…" he trailed off, pausing as he furrowed his brow. "Mjoll hated Maven Black-Briar and caused more trouble for her than anyone else, and it's not exactly a secret that Maven isn't afraid to consult the Brotherhood to help solve problems. Another reason you _might_ be in the clear is because I told Brynjolf to give an alibi to the guards should the come asking any questions, and because of that alibi, you need to leave, now."

"What?" she asked, her cool, collected shell beginning to crack. "What did you say?"

"I told him that you left for Solitude last night," he replied simply, tossing a large bag on the ground. "So, you see why you can't come strolling back into Riften, at least not anytime soon. You also won't be able to take the carriage from the Riften stables, so I hope you don't mind making the journey to Whiterun or Windhelm to get one to take."

"You still trust me to handle the job in Solitude?"

"I honestly don't have much of a choice, so try not to fuck this up, and you'd best damn well keep your blade clean. I still can't believe that you would do something so moronic, you stupid bitch…" he began, but was interrupted by the harsh, stinging crack of her hand meeting his cheek.

"You are an asshole," she hissed at him, momentarily infuriated by what he had called her. However, she quickly realized how big of a mistake striking her Guildmaster was when he grabbed her wrists and pulled her close, leaving her body pressed flush against his, their noses almost touching his furious gaze met her nervous one.

"That was the wrong thing move, sweetheart," he growled, stale breath that reeked of Cyrodilic Brandy hitting her in the face, rough, chapped lips faintly brushing against her cheek, his threatening words leaving her wondering what he was going to do next. He was so close to her that she could feel his heartbeat, his chest move with every single deep, heavy breath. All of a sudden, in a swift, rapid, severe movement he shoved her away.

You need to go. Once you get the information we need, send a courier, and we can meet somewhere that's not in Riften. You probably shouldn't come back here, at least not for a while," he said calmly, turning away from her, striding back towards the gates of the city, leaving her with a pile of bewildered thoughts and dirty belongings.

* * *

The road to Fort Dawnguard hadn't presented any violent obstacles, but the grey clouds opened up halfway through, a massive thunderstorm dumping thick drops of rain on her. She had simply pulled up her hood and continued to trudge along, wrapped in her own thoughts.

The thoughts of Mjoll penetrated her mind again, and she could only tell that she had begun to cry again when the warm, salty tears mix with the cold raindrops on her face. Indis didn't want to think about that any longer, about the pain and difficulties she would cause by needlessly taking Mjoll's life, so she emptied her head of all relating to the murder.

Indis walked up the path to the doors of the fort, feet splashing through deep, dirty puddles. Upon arriving at the doorstep, she shook the rain off of herself and stomped the mud off of her boots before stepping inside.

"It's good to see you!" said Agmaer, turning from shooting crates with a crossbow to greet her. "You haven't been around much lately; you've been missing all the action. Have you met Gunmar or Sorine?"

"No, I'm afraid I haven't," Indis said, giving him a small smile. "Have you seen Serana around?"

After mention of her name, he lowered his crossbow, looking nervous. "You mean the…she usually stays upstairs, keeps to herself."

Indis thanked him, and set off towards the large spiral staircase, each step producing an echoing thud as she steadily climbed towards the top. She chose to check the room that she and Serana had met Isran in, pleasantly surprised to see her sitting in a chair reading a book when she peeked around the corner.

"Serana? What are you doing up here?" she asked, gesturing to the torture rack and tools around her. "There aren't less creepy places to sit?"

"There are," Serana replied, snapping the book shut. "But it makes your comrades uncomfortable when I'm around, so I stay up here, where nobody else really comes. It's so good to see you, though. Have you found anything out about the Moth Priest?"

Indis shook her head. "Unfortunately, no, but I am heading to Solitude for a job, and I thought that you might like to come along. Perhaps we might be able to learn something there."

"Thank the Gods," Serana sighed, quickly standing up, grabbing her Scroll. "I was beginning to think I might never get to leave this place."

* * *

The pair had traveled in silence for the most part, slowly making their way north towards Windhelm, the quiet patter of rain the only sound until Serana spoke.

"What's wrong? You seem…troubled."

Indis turned towards her, slightly surprised by her question. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I don't know, perhaps I'm mistaken, but you seem different, harder than when we last saw each other."

"We only saw each other a few weeks ago," Indis grumbled, hoping Serana would drop the subject.

"True, but that doesn't mean things can't change. If you don't want to talk about whatever it is, then fine. But if you do…well, I'm here for you."

Indis opened her mouth to reply, Serana's words slightly encouraging, making her want to spill everything, to confide in her, but after a split second of hanging open, her mouth snapped shut. Perhaps she wasn't quite ready to confide.

"Who is he?" was Serana next question of choice to break the silence.

"What? Who?"

"The man you're engaged to," Serana said, reaching out to gently tap the silver, rainwater-soaked ring on Indis' finger. "You've never spoken of him, that's the only reason I ask."

"He's…" Indis said, trailing off as she struggled to find words to define what Ralof was to her. "He's…someone I met shortly after I arrived in Skyrim. We became very close," she lamely offered.

"Oh. Forgive me if this is out of line, but…you just don't seem particularly excited about the situation."

Indis came to a halt, glaring at Serana. "That is out of line. That is far too bold to say. I don't even understand what you mean by it."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Serana said apologetically, raising her hands defensively. "You had just never even introduced him when we first met, you never mention him, and when you do finally say something about him, you don't sound particularly enthused. I…I'm sorry, again. I shouldn't have said anything. Forgive me."

Indis stomped forward, silently fuming at Serana's nerve, intending to give the cold shoulder all the way to Windhelm.

* * *

"So, tell me. Why couldn't we take a carriage out of Riften, which was a great deal closer to Fort Dawnguard? Why did we have to spend over a week walking here on foot?"

"Because the carriages in Riften were, uhh, on strike," Indis said quickly, knowing that there was no way Serana would actually believer. "Not taking any passengers."

"Mmm hmm," Serana mumbled, sounding less than convinced. She opened her mouth to make what was no doubt a sarcastic comment, but was interrupted as a courier sprinted up to them.

"Are you Indis?" the man said gasping, reaching for his satchel of letters once she had nodded. "I have a letter for you. It's from Jarl Balgruuf of Whiterun."

"Give it here!" Indis said quickly, snatching it from the man's hand, hastily breaking open the wax seal, quickly reading the letter.

"Well, what does it say?" Serana asked anxiously, trying to peer over Indis' shoulder.

"He has news about the Moth Priest, and he said we should come to Whiterun as soon as possible," Indis said, a small flutter of hope raising her spirits ever so slightly.

* * *

After an arduous, week-long carriage ride, the great city of Whiterun finally loomed before them. Indis stood up in the carriage once it had come to a grinding halt, stretching her stiff limbs, wishing that the carriages of Skyrim were a tad bit more comfortable for the passengers. She went to step down from the carriage, when a dizzying wave of nausea suddenly hit her, causing her knees to buckle. Luckily, Serana quickly stepped forward, catching her before she could crash to the ground.

"Thank you," she said, embarrassed by the fact that she almost tumbled out of the carriage.

"You alright?"

"I think so, my stomach just feels a bit off."

"I told you not to eat that skeever."

"Shut up, I was hungry."

"I know, you ate the whole thing. It was massive, too. Anyway, as much as I would love to stand here and discuss your eating habits, we have a Jarl to talk to."

Indis nodded, following the path up towards the gates of the city. "Why do you think he didn't say where the Moth Priest was headed in the letter?"

Serana shrugged, adjusting her hood to block out the light of the fading evening sun. "Who knows. Perhaps he didn't feel as though it was safe to share that information, just in case it fell into the wrong hands, or maybe he just wanted an excuse to see you again."

"Why would he want to see me again?"

"Maybe to send you off on another errand?"

"Oh, hush," Indis muttered. "We're here. While we're inside, would you mind cutting down on the sass?"

Serana smiled, following Indis inside as she made her through Dragonsreach, up to the Jarl's throne, passing by his housecarl Irileth with a slight nod.

"My Jarl," she started nervously, her anxiety getting the best of her. Balgruuf had always been kind to her, but his formidable, intimidating presence still made her nervous. "I received your letter about the Moth Priest."

"There you are! Yes, I do indeed have information about your Moth Priest," he said, motioning for them to follow him. "Right this way," he said, motioning for them to join him at one of the large tables within the main hall. Indis and Serana seated themselves at chairs directly across from him, leaning forward anxiously as they waited for him to speak.

"Your priest did pass through here, about a week ago. He mainly kept to himself within the Bannered Mare, but I did manage to get information out of Hulda, the innkeeper," he said pausing, picking up a sweetroll and taking a bite out of it before continuing. "He was headed to Solitude for a few days, then to Dragon's Bridge. I don't know what for, but I hope it helps."

"Thank you so much," Indis gasped, hardly able to believe their good fortune. Finally, some solid information that they could use! "I can't thank you enough, we appreciate this greatly."

"It was my pleasure. You've done me some great kindnesses, it's the least I could do for you and your friend here, who I assume is the one you mentioned previously?" he said, gesturing to Serana.

Indis turned to Serana, praying to the Divines that the small smirk on her friend's lips wasn't the precursor to a snarky little comment. "I am. I'm Serana, by the way. A pleasure to meet you," the vampire replied, her perfect politeness nearly causing Indis to let out a huge sigh of relief.

"I do hope you both will stay and join me for my evening meal," he said, taking another bite of sweetroll. He started to continue, but was interrupted as a man in his smallclothes jogged up to the table.

"Is there an Indis here?" he asked, peering closely at their faces.

"I'm Indis."

"Excellent, here you go miss. A letter for you. Not sure who from, fellow sure was creepy though," the courier replied, handing the letter over.

Indis delicately took it, briefly wondering where the half-naked man kept the letters he carried before gently tearing apart the seal and flipping it open.

There was a large black handprint in the center, with two simple words scrawled below.

_We know._


	23. Care to Join?

Indis lay sprawled out on the massive, cozy bed, staring at the ornate carvings upon the wood on the ceiling. Despite the fact that she hadn't been the best dinner guest, Balgruuf had very kindly offered Indis and Serana accommodations in Dragonsreach for the night and after they had finished their dinner, Irileth had led Indis upstairs to her room.

"A room right next to the Jarl," she had said, opening a door, gesturing for Indis to enter. "You should be honored. It means Jarl Balgruuf trusts you a great deal."

She sighed and rolled onto her stomach, flipping open the letter that she had read at least a dozen times, her mind trying to frantically figure out who had sent it and what exactly it meant. During the journey from Windhelm, Serana's pleasant company had helped push her actions in Riften into the back of her mind, subduing the dark, unhappy thoughts she had been having about the whole affair. However, once she had torn open the seal on the letter and absorbed its contents, the realization that she had needlessly murdered a woman in cold blood and that the aftermath would likely change everything came back, hitting her harder than ever. Her hands had trembled, her frightened eyes had widened as she stared at the letters contents, and she had quickly crumpled it and stuffed in into a pocket. Indis had tried to act normal for the rest of the evening, but she had noticed Balgruuf and Serana's curious gazes burning into her.

She ran her fingers over the thin, harsh script at the bottom. _We know_ was all it had said, leaving her to wonder who exactly it was that knew and what they were going to do about it. She had been contemplating these questions for hours, and she was no closer to an answer when a loud knock at her door interrupted her thoughts.

Indis climbed off the bed, hurrying to the door, surprised to see Balgruuf on the other side when she flung it open. He had removed the fine clothes and jeweled circlet he usually wore when he was attending to the duties of his court, and had changed into a simple white tunic and dark grey breeches that made him look a good deal less intimidating.

"My Jarl," she said, surprise creeping into her voice as she opened the door halfway. "What do you need?"

"I wanted to make sure that you were alright, given your strange behavior this evening."

Indis tried to remain calm, silently cursing that he had noticed what had essentially been her on the verge of a breakdown. "I don't know what you speak of," she said, her voice coming off as very falsely cheerful.

"After you received that letter, you seemed incredibly upset and shaken."

"I'm fine," she said, a slight waver in her voice threatening to betray her as a liar.

"You still seem upset. If you've gotten yourself into some kind of trouble I can…"

"I'm fine," Indis insisted again, her voice cracking. "Honestly, I'd…I'd rather not talk about it. I really should go to sleep now. Serana and I are leaving early tomorrow morning for Solitude and we have a long journey ahead of us."

"As you wish," Balgruuf said, giving her a small nod. "However, if you should change your mind during the night, I'm only a room away."

Indis gently shut the door after he left, relieved that he hadn't pushed it further. She wasn't sure how he would react if she had chosen to confess to him what she had done, and she didn't want to risk losing his trust and favor.

Kicking off her boots, she tumbled into the soft, warm bed, falling into a deep slumber within moments.

* * *

Her brain was foggy and her vision blurry as she opened her eyes, blinking furiously as she hoped to clear her clouded vision. After a few moments of frantic blinking, her vision had cleared slightly. Although the world around her was still fuzzy, Indis knew one thing was certain: she was no longer in Dragonsreach.

"Ahh, hello there," purred a low, sultry voice. "You're finally awake now."

"Wh-what's going on? Wh-who are you?" Indis stammered, sitting up on the floor, looking up towards the direction the voice came from.

"Forgive me for not introducing myself. My name is Astrid, and I represent an organization that you have caught the attention of, my dear," said the woman perched on top of a dusty, worn bookshelf, swinging the leg that was hanging over the edge back and forth. She was wearing a set of form fitting black and red leather armor adorned with numerous straps, studs, and buckles running down the back, and all but her eyes were hidden by a black cowl.

"I…I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, but I think you do, love. The noble champion of Riften brutally slaughtered in her sleep? Such a beautiful kill," the woman sighed with admiration, running a gloved finger along the top edge of the bookshelf. "It reminds me so much of my first. It pleased me, and it pleased the Night Mother."

"The Night Mother?" Indis asked, curiosity beginning to replace fear.

"The unholy matron of the Brotherhood, dear. A cold, self-serving kill such as yours was evidence enough to everyone in the family that you belonged with us. However," she began, turning her attention fully to Indis. "Before we continue any further, I want to personally admire your handiwork. Now, if you'll turn your attention to the opposite side of the room, you'll notice that I have three guests present. There's a contract out on one of these poor, unfortunate souls, and I want you to take care of them. I'll just be here watching…and admiring."

Indis stood up shakily, turning to face the three bounded and hooded captives, wondering how she hadn't noticed their presence earlier. Walking over to the first one, she gently tapped their shoulder to get their attention. _Just do this Indis, and then you can leave_, she told herself.

"H-hello?" squeaked a frightened male voice. "I can hear you! Please! Please just let me go!"

"Who are you?" Indis asked, leaning in closer to discern the muffled words.

"I'm Fultheim the Fearless, nobody really," he stammered, the fright in his words contradicting what he had just claimed to be. "I'm a soldier. We-well, more like a mercenary. Is this about the raid? I told Holgrim that we shouldn't, that there was no honor in killing sleeping men, so please, let me go!"

"Is it possible that someone might want to have you killed?"

"Killed? Oh, oh Gods no! All these things I've done, they…they haven't been my fault! Nobody could really blame me, could they? Please, please…I don't want to die…" he whined.

After interrogating the man who claimed bravery, she turned her attention to the two others in the room, asking them the same questions she had asked Fultheim. The second captive called herself Alea Quintus, and she responded to all of Indis' questions with an angry, shrill screech, claiming upon further questioning that it was "none of her damn business" who she was. After Indis had asked if anyone would have her killed, she had responded with condescending sarcasm, claiming that the fact that she was there bound and hooded ought to answer her question. The final captive was a Khajiit named Vasha, who exuded a strange amount of calm for someone that faced death. He introduced himself as an "obtainer of goods, taker of lives, and defiler of daughters" when she asked who she was, and he claimed that he would consider it a personal affront if someone didn't try to kill him.

Indis stepped back, surveying the three, scarcely able to believe that she was seriously considering doing what Astrid asked when a voice crept into her mind, softly interrupting her thoughts.

_So weak. All of them are so weak, look at them, bound and helpless in front of you, pleading for their lives, begging for mercy. You are one of the strong, and the strong have no patience for this. Destroy all of them, _drawled a male voice in her head, causing her to grab her temples and rub them, leaving her surprised as she tried to figure out what that was. Looking up, Indis inspected the three bound captives, the odd voice's words permeating, penetrating her thoughts. They were all weak.

She stepped behind Fultheim the Fearless, drawing her Elven dagger, the same one that she had killed Mjoll with. Hand firmly grasping the hilt, she grabbed the man's head and jerked it back, exposing the pale, vulnerable flesh of his throat. He tried to protest, but was quickly silenced by the sharp blade slashing through his throat. The other two captives began to panic, pleading louder, causing the words to echo in Indis' mind even louder. She ignored their panicked begging as she continued onwards, repeating what she had done with Fultheim, quickly silencing the other two.

Astrid jumped down from the top of the bookshelf with an agile, cat-like grace and met Indis in the middle of the room. "Oh ho, aren't we quite the overachiever," she gushed, obviously pleased as she placed both of her hands on Indis' shoulders. "That, my dear, was wonderful. I'm certain you'll fit right in with the rest of the family. You've certainly proven that you belong. Come to our home as soon as you can. It's located within the pine forests of Falkreath Hold, right off of the main road, west from the hold capital and southeast of some old ruins. Look for the pitch-black pool of water. When you approach the door, it will ask you what the music of life is. Reply with, 'silence, my brother'. I'll see you at home, dearest," she said, pressing the key to the shack into Indis' palm.

* * *

Indis stepped outside of the old, rickety shack, and was surprised to see Serana leaning against a tree.

"You mind telling me what's going?" the dark-haired vampire asked, stern gaze fixated on Indis.

"What do you mean? How did you find me?"

"Simple, really. A clairvoyance spell led me here. I kept the goal of finding you in my mind, and this is where I arrived. Glad to see I wasn't wrong. I realized something was wrong when you didn't meet me in the great hall the next morning. So, I found your room, and saw that you had left everything behind, and that's when I realized that something was really, really wrong. That Jarl was furious, too, once it became clear that you were kidnapped. Were you?"

"Yes," Indis mumbled, sitting down on a rotting log, picking at the deathbell nearby.

"Mind telling me who?"

"Ehh…" Indis began, trailing off as she searched for words.

Serana squatted on the ground directly in front of Indis, taking her hands. "Listen, Indis. I trust you. I do. But in order for me to keep trusting you, I need to know the truth about all of this, about what's going on. I promise that whatever it is, I won't judge."

Indis sighed, casting her eyes downwards, listening to the chirp of insects in the swamp. "I…I was brought here by the Dark Brotherhood."

"The Dark Brotherhood? The organization of assassins, correct?" Serana asked, raising her eyebrows. "From what I understand, they're very selective in their recruiting, which means that you must have…"

"Yes, yes I did."

"Who were they?" Serana asked quietly, gently prodding her for information.

"It was a woman who gave me a good deal of grief for being associated with the Guild. Made my life incredibly difficult and miserable a lot of the time," Indis began, running a hand through her hair. "I thought that by killing her, things would be…better."

"You murdered a woman in cold blood and you thought your life would get better?"

"Stop judging me," Indis said, tears welling up in her eyes, threatening to spill over, continuing with the words that she had repeated to herself over and over again. "I did what had to be done."

"I'm not judging you," Serana said. "Was it really what had to be done?"

"It sure sounds like you're judging me, and yes. It had to be done," Indis repeated.

"What happened in there? What did you do?"

"I don't really feel like saying, and it still feels like you're being judgemental."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to come across that way. Are you…are you going to join?" Serana asked, obviously curious.

"I…I think I am," feeling a small rush of pride when she thought about how proud Astrid had been of her, how pleased she had been when she offered her a place in her family.

"Well…we can talk continue our discussion later, if you want, but I really think we should head to Solitude now. Luckily, we're not too far," Serana said, pointing to a looming structure in the distance. "I think I saw a boat behind this shack. I think we should use that instead of trying to make it on foot."

Serana stood up, offering a hand to Indis. Indis stood up, feeling another wave of wooziness and sickness wash over her, and she gripped Serana's arms to steady herself.

"Are you feeling alright? You seem ill. I told you to not eat that skeever, you probably got Ataxia from it," Serana said, sounding worried, walking towards the back of the shack with Indis still clutching her arm.

"I've had Ataxia before, and this feels…different."

"There are plenty of diseases to be contracted, so it could be Rock-Joint, the Rattles, or Bone-Break fever, who knows. You should probably see a healer in Solitude once we arrive. Something tells me that we're not the only ones looking for this Moth Priest, so it'd be best if we're both ready for trouble. Let's get going," Serana said, helping Indis push the small boat off into the water, jumping in after her. "Off to Solitude, then. We've got a lot to get done."

* * *

**Thanks so much for reading! Next chapter will see some intense Dawnguard and Thieves Guild action. Oh, and what's going on with Indis here, getting all sick? :)**


	24. Taking Care of Business

Indis sat on a small chair in the Solitude apothecary, Angeline's Aromatics, watching Serana mix and grind various ingredients at the alchemy table in the shop. Indis had refused to go to a healer in the Temple of the Divines, insisting that she was fine, but Serana had maintained that she needed something, so she was making a few potions for her.

"Where did you learn to make potions?" Indis asked, watching her friend work at the alchemy table.

"My mother taught me everything I know. She had this garden back in the castle's courtyard and it was just…so beautiful," Serana said with a nostalgic sigh. "She grew all kinds of plants and ingredients there and used them in her potions."

"Where is your mother now?" Indis said, crossing her legs on the chair, looking at Serana curiously.

"I'm not sure. She fled, after she put me away in Dimhollow, to hide from my father. Here, take this," Serana said, turning and presenting Indis with several bottles. "I made a few potions of cure disease, and some potions of healing. Those should have you feeling better."

Indis downed one of the potions, wrinkling her nose at the sharp, bitter taste, before speaking. "I was thinking we should go after the Moth Priest first. Balgruuf said he was headed to Dragon Bridge, right? If we hurry now, we may be able to catch him."

"That sounds like a good plan. We've already chased the man across the whole damn province, so it'd be nice to finally find him. Let's get going."

* * *

The day was pleasantly warm, and the sun was out in full force, glaring down at them from the harsh, bright blue sky above. The two quietly plodded down the cobbled road, hoping that they reached the small town before the Moth Priest was gone.

"The sooner we get out of the sun, the better. Look, I think that's it ahead," Serana said, pointing towards a fuzzy structure in the distance with one hand, shielding herself from the sun with the other.

"I think you're right. Think we should check the inn first?"

"I don't see why not."

They picked up their pace, walking even faster than before to narrow the gap between themselves and Dragon Bridge. Upon arrival, they saw that it was a small, quiet town, with few buildings. Indis approached a guard, clearing her throat to gain his attention. "Excuse me, but have you seen a Moth Priest pass through here?"

"Moth Priest, eh? So that's who that fellow was. He just left, not too long ago, headed south along the main road. I think he was travelling towards Markarth."

Indis thanked the man profusely, and turned back to Serana once the guard had walked away. "You heard that, right? We just missed him!"

"Finally, we're catching a break," Serana breathed, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

They took off south again, breaking into a light jog, eyes open for any sign of a Moth Priest. Indis tired more quickly than usual, wheezing slightly, beads of sweat rolling down her face, relieved when she saw something on the road ahead. After this was all over, she wanted nothing more than to relax. "Think that's him?" she said, gasping slightly.

"I think so. How are you doing? You sound a little worn," Serana said, slowing to an easy walk.

"I'm fine. Gods, I need to work on my jogging."

"Don't do much of it?"

"No, I usually just creep slowly and hide if it seems as though I'm going to be spotted. Oh…oh no," Indis whispered, shocked at the sight before them. A carriage was turned over on its side, wheels up in the air still lazily spinning, contents spilled out onto the road. The horse that had drawn the carriage laid slaughtered, limbs sprawled out next to the dead vampire and Imperial soldier nearby. Indis crouched down by the dead soldier, gingerly reaching out to touch the man's arm. "Serana! This body is still warm. We must have just missed them."

Serana was kneeling over the vampire, her brow furrowed in concentration as she inspected its pockets. Standing up, she held up a small slip of paper. "I think I found something."

"Well, read it. What does it say?" Indis said, stepping over the dead man to join her.

"Remember how I said be ready for trouble? It looks like vampires kidnapped the Moth Priest and took him to a place called Forebears Hideout."

* * *

The quiet drip of water mingled with the murmur of voices was all that met Indis and Serana's ears as they crouched behind a large stone in Forebears Hideout, surveying the small cavern before them.

"I don't think there's too many of them," Serana whispered. "See those up there? Those are called death hounds. I think that if we can kill those undetected, then we might be able to surprise the vampires that are over there. I think you should do it, since you have a bow. I'll be here, right behind you. Are you ready?"

Indis nodded, readying the bow in her hands, slowly creeping forward. One of the hounds was asleep, eyes closed, breathing heavily. The other stood watching, focused on the path ahead of it. Thankfully, it hadn't detected them, at least not yet. She raised her bow, nocking a steel arrow as she drew the bowstring back as far as she could, taking aim on her prey. Indis released the arrow with bated breath, watching as the arrow took the hound down, without even stirring its sleeping part from its slumber. Readying another arrow, she repeated the process with the other hound, standing up and sighing with relief when it gave only a small whine before it perished.

"Good job," Serana said, voice low, as she placed a hand on Indis' arm. "We've got the element of surprise, time to rescue our Moth Priest."

They continued along slowly, taking care to make not too much sound as they crept forward, Indis aiding her efforts with a muffling spell, as they approached the crumbling stone ruins within the cavern. Cautiously looking around the edge of the ruins, they gave each other a quick nod before stepping out, ready to fight. Serana took off towards one thrall sitting by the campfire, raising her hands, shooting spikes of ice at the man as he struggled to climb to his feet. Satisfied that Serana could hand him, Indis turned her attention to the vampire thrall perched on the wall, narrowly dodging the iron arrow that he fired at her. Cursing quietly, she grasped for an arrow, firing it as quickly as she could. It wasn't the most powerful shot, but the force was just enough to send him stumbling backwards, leading him to trip over the over the edge of the wall, sending him tumbling head-first towards the hard, rocky cavern floor.

"I think those are the only ones down here. Expect more ahead," Serana said, quickly taking off with her raised thrall following close behind her. Indis quietly brought up the rear, staying alert for any more enemies or for signs of the Moth Priest. They reach the top of the stone staircase, the sound of Serana's raised thrall expiring alerting the vampires at the top. The Orismer vampire turned towards them, raising his axe, the two vampire fledglings starting towards Serana and Indis. The crackle of chain lightning met Indis' ears as Serana fought off one fledgling, leaving the other for Indis to contend with. The vampire was approaching too quickly, leaving her no time to use her bow. Instead, she drew the pair of Elven daggers she carried, viciously slashing at the vampire, trying her best to avoid the drain spell being used on her. After a few misses, the dagger in her right hand made contact with her foe's ribcage, and the vampire gasped as the weapon plunged deep into her torso. The vampire lowered her hands, the spells she had been using slowly fading away, giving one final gurgle as Indis' other dagger made contact with her stomach.

"Fools! You will not stop me from obtaining the glory that Lord Harkon offers!"

Indis withdrew her blades, quickly wiping them on the dead vampire's clothing, jerking her head up to see Serana locked in battle with the Orismer vampire. Indis quickly sheathed her daggers and drew her bow, concentrating as she locked in on the vampire Serana faced. She pulled back the bowstring as far as she physically could, hoping that it would be powerful enough to be a kill shot. She released, watching as the arrow flew right behind the Orc's head, muttering obscenities as she reached back into her quiver for another arrow. However, this proved unnecessary as Serana shot one final ice spike into the vampire's chest, causing him to fall to his knees and crumple to the floor.

"That wasn't too bad," Serana said as Indis arrived at her side, kneeling down by the dead vampire as she rifled through his clothing. "I found some things that may be useful," she said, tossing a large, strange stone into Indis' hands.

"What is this?" Indis asked curiously, tilting her head as she rolled the object around in the palms of her hands.

"Blazes if I know, but I think our Moth Priest is in there," Serana said, pointing to the massive, glowing barrier in the center of the floor. Indis picked up a small stone nearby and flung it at the barrier with everything she had, causing both of them to jump slightly when there was a loud crack and sizzle as the stone made contact.

"What was that for?"

"Well, I didn't want to go up and touch it, did you?" Indis asked. "Come on, let's look up at the top of those stairs," she said, climbing towards the highest level. They arrived at the top of the steps, their attention falling on a strange altar.

"This looks like it might do something," Serana said, excitedly inspecting the altar. "Wait…put that stone in here; it looks like it might fit!"

Indis placed the strange stone into the space on the altar and gave it a firm push into place, and they both watched as the barrier around the Moth Priest disintegrated. "Serana, we did it! Let's…wait, something seems wrong."

As soon as the barrier had disintegrated, the Moth Priest drew his sword, and began a quick sprint up the steps towards them.

"Watch out, it looks like he's been enthralled," Serana said, readying herself for another battle. "Just try to get him down, that should break the spell. We don't want to kill him, alright?"

The battle against the Moth Priest proved short-lived. Their goal wasn't to kill, only to pacify him, and after a few strikes on the robed spellsword, he quickly fell to his knees.

"I'm…I'm so sorry!" he gasped apologetically, gladly accepting when they offered their hands to him. "I don't know what came over me. My name is Dexion, by the way. Dexion Evicus. Thank you for rescuing me. Anything I can do to repay you for your kindness, please, let me know."

"Actually, there is something you could do," Indis began, gesturing to the Scroll on Serana's back. "We're with a group called the Dawnguard."

"The Dawnguard? You're vampire hunters, if I'm not mistaken?" he said, moving a hand to stroke his grey beard.

"You're correct. We have an Elder Scroll that needs to be read. It pertains to a prophecy that's been of interest to a very dangerous and powerful group of vampires. Would you be willing to help us?"

"Absolutely, absolutely!" he cried out, clapping his hands together. "Now, tell me where to go, and I'll meet you there."

"Fort Dawnguard, near Stendarr's Beacon. Not too far from Riften."

"Excellent, I'll make all the necessary preparations and meet you there."

Indis and Serana watched the man walk away, his soft-soled sandals flapping against the stone floor, sending a soft echo throughout the chamber. After a few moments of silence, Serana was the first to speak. "Well, I hadn't planned on him being kidnapped by vampires, but I'm glad we managed to get to him in time. Now, you mentioned that you had some business to attend to in Solitude?"

"I do…why do you ask? Interested in coming along?"

"Of course. What's the plan?"

* * *

Indis and Serana sat at a table inside the Winking Skeever, watching the Argonian sipping ale in a small alcove.

"That's who you're supposed to get information from?" Serana asked, pretending to take a sip of mead. Serana needed blood to survive, but she had claimed before that pretending to drink it helped maintain an appearance of normalcy.

"I think so. His name is Gulum-Ei, and Mercer said that he has information we need," Indis replied, absentmindedly running her fingers over the grain of the wooden table. "I'm going to go talk to him now, wish me luck."

Indis rose from the table, adjusting her Thieves Guild armor as she approached the Argonian. "Gulum-Ei?"

"Who is this that you speak of?" he asked, feigning confusion.

"Cut it out. Mercer Frey sent me," she said, hoping this was the right response.

"Mercer sent you? I haven't done business with the Guild in quite a while, so I don't know why you're here."

"I think you know why I'm here," she hissed as she leaned closer, trying to sound menacing. "The Guild got its hands on some evidence that links you to someone who has been causing quite a bit of trouble for us. I want to talk to you about Goldenglow Estate."

"Goldenwhat Estate?" he replied, still feigning ignorance.

"You acted as a broker for the new owner, so why don't you just go ahead and tell me what's going on."

"What's that? Maybe I did, maybe I didn't," he said, giving a nonchalant shrug. "Do you honestly expect me to remember every deal that I make?"

"Alright, what would it take to jog your memory? I need to identify this buyer," she insisted, growing impatient with him. Brynjolf hadn't been lying when he had told her that Gulum-Ei wouldn't relinquish the information easily.

"Well, well…now that I think of it, I have a buyer that's looking for a case of Firebrand Wine. Luckily for you, there's one sitting in the Blue Palace right now. Get it for me, and then we can talk."

* * *

"Here," Indis panted, setting the large case of Firebrand Wine on the floor in front of Gulum-Ei. Obtaining it hadn't been easy. Gaining entrance into the palace hadn't been an issue, but it had took some clever and awkward maneuvering to slip past the guards unseen with a very large case of loud, rattling wine bottles. "Now, will you tell me about the buyer?"

"All I can tell you is that I was approached by a woman who wanted me to act as the middleman for a sale, so I did. I acted as the broker for that estate you mentioned."

"Did she give you a name?"

"In this business, I've learned it's best to not ask names, so no. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to be going," Gulum-Ei said, rising from his chair and striding towards the door.

Indis watched with mild irritation, tapping her foot with annoyance, watching the door come to a full close behind him before hurrying back over to Serana. "There's something he's not telling me. I need to tail him. Are you in?"

* * *

The door to the East Empire Company Warehouse shut behind them with a click, and Indis let out a sigh of relief. Following Gulum-Ei hadn't been too much of a challenge; she and Serana had kept a close eye on him, trailing behind at a safe distance, ducking behind any nearby objects when necessary. He seemed to have known that being tailed was a risk, because he had stopped to turn around and check behind him multiple times. Despite all of this, they had managed to make it this far.

Indis crept forward slowly, withdrawing the small telescope she carried and using it to inspect the warehouse before passing it off to Serana. "What do you think?"

"I think those don't look like Solitude guards. They look like…mercenaries."

"You're right," Indis whispered. "Unfortunately, mercenaries usually kill on sight, so we'd best be careful. I think it might be best to get into the water and follow him underneath the docks. We should avoid being seen, as long as we stay quiet."

After Serana gave her nod of approval, they both quietly slipped into the chilled water, clinging to the wooden posts of the dock, ears pricked and listening for Gulum-Ei's footsteps. They watched and listened quietly from below, silently moving underneath the wooden planking. Gulum-Ei stopped briefly, gave one final last look around, and then walked down some steps and disappeared behind a pile of crates. Indis and Serana swam over to the stairs he had gone down, and inspected the pile of crates he had gone behind.

"It looks like there's a door over here," Indis said, shaking off excess water.

"After you."

* * *

The secret door had led them to a dank, dark grotto filled with inattentive bandits and a small handful of frostbite spiders, and Indis and Serana were able to make it past their foes with relative ease.

"I don't know how you do this," Serana said, shaking her head as they walked along the dirt path next to the water, feet crunching on dirt and rock.

"Do what?"

"This sneaking around, doing things without being seen thing. That was…exhausting. If I had a heart that beat, I swear that it would be pounding furiously right now."

Indis laughed, her face still flushed and glowing from the heart-racing rush she always received from her work. "I like it…wait, I think that's him ahead!"

She paused, drawing her bow, firing a steel arrow at the bandit leaning against a set of shelves not too far from her Argonian target. The arrow caught the bandit in the arm, and the wood elf clutched at his arm, howling in pain. Fortunately, he was quickly silenced by Serana.

"Please, please don't kill me!" begged Gulum-Ei, fearful eyes watching their approach. "I'm worth more alive to you than dead!"

"Then tell me what I need to know," Indis growled, stepping forward. "The name of the buyer. Give it."

"Karliah, it was Karliah!"

Indis stood there silently, and raised her hands to indicate that she had no idea who he was talking about. "You act like I'm supposed to know who that is."

"You…you don't know Karliah?" he gasped, astonished. "Karliah murdered the former Guildmaster and then fled. She's your buyer."

"Anything else you can tell me? Did she tell you where she was going, or what she was going to do next?"

"Actually, yes. She…she said she was going to 'where the end began.'"

* * *

Indis pulled her cloak tighter around her body, trying to block out the bitter evening chill as she approached the crumbling stone ruins known as Silent Moons Camp. After completing the job in Solitude, she had sent word to Mercer Frey as he had requested, and this is where he had asked her to meet.

"Sorry I didn't save any for you," Mercer said as she approached, gesturing to the body of a dead bandit. "Hope you don't mind. Now, your letter said you had news?"

"I do," she replied, looking up at the Breton standing a few steps above her.

"Good, I want to hear it. Take out your sword."

"What?" she asked, confused by his request.

"Might as well have a little practice session while we're here," he said, drawing his blade, the shimmering gold gleaming in the setting sun.

She withdrew her steel sword, and raised it. "What do you want to know?"

"Was Gulum-Ei forthcoming with the information you needed?" he asked, lunging forward at her, surprised when she actually managed to maneuver out of the way.

"Yes, he was," Indis said, carefully backing up the steps. "He told me the buyers' name."

"And? What was it?" he said, swiftly blocking her attempt to land a hit.

"Karliah," she gasped, feinting to the left.

Mercer suddenly stopped, his sword still raised. "Did you just say Karliah?"

"I did."

He sheathed his sword as he sat down on the stone steps, looking contemplative as he stared off towards the distant sunset, the golden-red light of evening washing over his features. "Then this is more serious than I thought."

"Why?" Indis asked, settling down on the step next to him. "All Gulum-Ei told me was that she murdered the Guildmaster before you."

"She did. She's extremely lethal, clever, and deadly, and she's completely capable of destroying the Guild. We're going to have to keep our guard up."

"Gulum-Ei also told me that she said where she was going. Something about 'where the end began'."

"That's what she said, you're absolutely certain of it?" Mercer said, turning to her, grabbing her hand closest to him, gripping it tightly.

"Yes, I am. Ow, please stop, you're hurting me."

Mercer loosened his grip, but his hand still held onto hers, and he fell silent, raising his free hand to prop his chin up on as he stared off into the distance.

"What's going to happen next?"

"I don't know. I have some preparations to make, so wait for my word. But before we part, you need to train a little more," he said rising to his feet, pulling her up after him. "You're going to need it if you end up facing Karliah."

* * *

**Next chapter, we're gonna get some more Dawnguard action going on! I know I said Indis would go to meet the Brotherhood, but I started writing that chapter, and bah. I think it should come later. Something BIG is gonna happen soon!**

** And for those of you who correctly guessed what was going on with Indis being all sick...congrats! You get a sweetroll and a bottle of Honningbrew Mead (or Black-Briar, your choice). Thanks for reading!**


	25. Aftermath

"I'm impressed you managed to find a Moth Priest," Isran said upon their approach. "Does it have the Scroll?"

"She's not an 'it'," Indis replied testily. "And yes, Serana has the Scroll. Is the Moth Priest ready to do the reading?"

"Yes, I believe so. Just let the old man know when you're ready to get this started, and he'll take it from there," Isran replied gruffly, glaring at her, bothered by her defense of Serana.

"I have the Scroll," Serana said stepping forward towards Dexion, taking it off of her back. "Are you ready?"

"Yes, yes," he replied. "But before we continued, I wanted to thank the both of you for rescuing me from those vampires. Now, let's get this started," Dexion muttered, unrolling the large Scroll. He held it up at eye level, and his eyes darted over the contents as his lips barely moved as he processed the contents. After studying the Scroll for a few moments, Dexion finally spoke.

"I see a vision before me, it appears to be a great bow. Ah, I know this bow! It is Auriel's Bow! Now, now, let's see…a voice whispers, saying that among the night's children, a dread lord will rise'. In an age of strife, when dragons have returned to the realms of men, darkness with then mingle with light and the night and day will become one. Hmm, let me see…the voice fades and…and the words begin to shimmer and distort, but there is more here. I believe that the secret of the bow's power is written elsewhere. I think that there is more to this prophecy, but you will find it within other Scrolls. There, there! I see them now. One of them will contain the ancient secrets of the dragons, and the other speaks of the potency of the ancient blood," Dexion said, suddenly stopping. "My vision dims and I grow weary. Without the other Scrolls, we will not be able to continue. I must rest now."

"Thank you, Dexion," Indis said, watching the man walk away. "So, you know anything about these other Scrolls he mentioned?"

"The dragon one? Not…not exactly, but I think we might be able to find answers at the College of Winterhold. However, I do have information on the other one, but I'm not sure how helpful it will be to us," Serana said frowning, worry and frustration appearing in her bright, orange-red eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, one of the scrolls he mentioned, the blood one? My mother took it when she left."

"Do you have any ideas about where she might have gone, where she might be now?"

"No. After things started to go downhill with my father, I'm guessing she fled after she put me away in the crypt, but she did say something before we parted ways. She said that she would go somewhere where he would never look, somewhere where he would never find her. It was almost as though she was calling attention to it. Any ideas?" Serana said, staring off into the distance.

"Maybe…what if…" Indis trailed off, propping her chin on a tiny fist. "What if she was hiding in plain sight?"

"Explain."

"You said she told you that she would go hide somewhere he would never look. What if she hid in the castle?"

Serana stared at Indis, disbelief painted across her face. "In the castle? Believe me; my father definitely searched every corner of Tamriel looking for my moth…" Serana stopped suddenly eyes widening. "The courtyard! I can't believe I didn't think of that. My mother used to have a courtyard where she grew all kinds ingredients for the potions she made. My father always refused to go out there. If she's not there, she may have left clues about where she went. I think it's a good place to start."

"Let's go then!" Indis said excitedly, grabbing her knapsack. They set off towards the large, iron doors that were at the entrance, but were quickly interrupted by Isran stepping in front of them.

"I'm sending Teldryn with you," he growled, motioning for the Dunmer to join him. "It looks like you two have been getting a little bit too…cozy, so I'm sending him along to keep an eye on things."

"Indis, I don't trust him," Serana whispered, pulling the Imperial woman closer to her. "I think it should just be us."

"I know, I know," Indis whispered back. "But Teldryn is alright. I do trust him. I think it will be fine. Let's just let him come along, alright? I really don't want to make Isran even angrier than he always seems to be."

The two of them whispered back and forth for a few minutes, with a few furtive glances towards Teldryn and Isran thrown in, the Redguard man finally cleared his throat, and they came to a halt. With one final glance at each other, Indis finally spoke. "Ready to go, Teldryn?"

* * *

"This is it, we're finally here," Serana said, pulling her dark cloak closer in order to block out the blistering, icy winds that whipped around them.

"Really? I thought this was some other castle full of vampires, and we just happened to be dropping by," Teldryn drawled sarcastically, causing Indis to sigh. Ever since they had left Fort Dawnguard, they had been constantly sniping at each other, making their disdain for one another completely clear, leaving Indis caught in the crossfire.

"Stop it, please!" Indis sighed, stepping in between them, holding up her hands. "Can we please try and cooperate? Now, Serana. I'm guessing we can't just waltz up and knock on the door and ask if we can take a little look around, so do you know another way in?"

"Yes, actually," Serana replied, pointing towards the left side of the castle. "There's a secret entrance over there. It was used by the last owner to receive shipments. Since we're not going to be able to use the way we came in last time, that's our only option."

Following Serana's lead, they set off towards the side of the castle, hugging the coastline, muttering curses as the ice-cold spray of the Sea of Ghosts occasionally splashed them when a large wave broke. After a few minutes of walking, Serana pointed. "We're close now, look. Those are the old docks. We should find an entrance right there."

They climbed the vine-covered, crumbling stone staircases upwards, until they reached a small door. Serana paused with one palm on the handle, turning to them. "If my mother is indeed in here somewhere, I'm certain she left behind all manner of traps and obstacles, just in case my father did come looking here. Keep your guard up," she said, pushing the door open and stepping inside.

* * *

Serana was correct when she had said they would need to keep their guard up. The door they had entered through led to an old, foul-smelling water cistern that was inhabited by death hounds, feral vampires, skeletons, and frostbite spiders. Finding passage to her mother's old courtyard hadn't been as easy as they had hoped it would be; the trio had stumbled across incomplete ledges and bridges, and they had found themselves backtracking quite often to search for a button or lever that would help them continue on. Finally, after what seemed like ages, they made it to the courtyard they had been searching for.

"Is this it?" Teldryn said, wrinkling his nose. "This place is a wreck, look at it."

Indis took a look around and couldn't help but agree with him. What had once been a beautiful, flourishing garden was now a dank, crumbling ruin filled with weeds.

"I know," Serana sighed, glaring at him. "My mother would be so upset to see it in this state. See the moon dial in the center? It looks like something is off with it. Let's all look around, see if we can find anything."

Indis took off towards the back area of the courtyard, boots squelching through dark mud and tepid water, pushing the tall weeds aside as she surveyed the area. She had no idea what she was supposed to be looking for, but she paused as a small, silvery gleam caught her eye. Stomping over, Indis knelt down, swatting away a moth as she inspected the object. It was a large, flat disc with what appeared to be a crescent moon on it. Tugging it out of the mud, she tucked it under her arm and made her way back over to Serana, who was still inspecting the dial.

"Serana, I found something. Think it might be useful?" Indis said as she handed the disc over.

"I think so! See those empty spaces on the dial? This disc looks like it will fit in one of the empty slots, but for it to work; we need to put it in the correct place. Find any more?"

"Yes," Teldryn called out, strong grey hands firmly gripping two other discs. "Are there any more that are needed?"

"Just two more. It looks like we have them all now, though. All we need to do is put them in the right place," Serana said, taking one of the discs from Teldryn, and then directing him and Indis to place their discs in certain empty placeholders. They followed her directions, and after all three discs were in the appropriate positions, the moon dial began to glow, and a loud grinding sound penetrated the air as a stone, spiral staircase appeared, leading to the depths of Castle Volkihar.

"Oh, mother," Serana sighed. "You are brilliant."

* * *

"There has to be a switch or a button around here somewhere," Serana muttered to herself, tugging on random books, sporadically pressing stones in the wall. It had taken them several hours to reach what seemed to be a dead-end room after taking the staircase they had found in the courtyard. They had stumbled across the dusty, ruined wing of the castle that Lord Harkon had obviously shut off long ago. There were more traps and small puzzles to contend with, as well as skeevers, gargoyles, and skeletons, but they had been able to cut them all down with minimal injuries to themselves.

"Are you going to help out?" Indis called out to Teldryn, helping Serana search for something that might open the way to a secret passage.

"I would, but I'm a little busy," Teldryn muttered, glowing, golden light seeping from his hand and wrapping around his bloodied left bicep. "Sheogorath's madness take those damned, filthy gargoyles. If I never see another one for the rest of my days, I'd die a happy man."

"Suit yourself," Indis said, reaching up and tugging on a candlestick by a fireplace, surprised, when stone slid open to reveal a door.

"You did it!" Serana said enthusiastically, clutching something in her arms. "We're getting close, I can feel it. Oh, and here's something for you," she said, holding something out to Indis. "I know you like your Guild armor, but this armor is like mine, it's enchanted to help with magic. It's up to you to decide whether or not you want to use it."

"Thank you," Indis gushed, obviously pleased, giving her friend a quick embrace. She hadn't admitted it to Serana, but she had always admired the way her armor looked. "I really appreciate it."

"Are you two going to kiss now, or can we please continue?" Teldryn asked, gesturing to the opening in the wall.

Serana pulled away from Indis and stepped through the doorway, motioning for them to follow.

"Here it is, it's my mother's laboratory!" Serana said excitedly, lowering the dagger she had drawn. "We need to find my mother's journal," she said, motioning to the bookcase. Indis and Teldryn followed her over and began grabbing various books, flipping through them, and sliding them back into place once they were satisfied that it wasn't what they were looking for. After a few minutes of searching, Teldryn paused, holding a small, worn, leather book in his hands.

"I believe this is it," he said, handing it over to Serana, who immediately flipped it over, poring over the words inside.

"This is it," she said, a pale finger running along the sentences on the page she was on. "My mother mentions the Soul Cairn. It's a place that she was researching before she disappeared. It's a plane of Oblivion where she believed souls to go after they were released from soul gems. It looks like it's where she went. She has information on what she did to gain access to the Soul Cairn. Teldryn, you find the finely ground bonemeal, Indis, you look for the soul gem shards, and I'll find the purified void salts."

Each one of them began searching for their assigned ingredients, picking up jars, peering at labels, until they found the ingredients that they needed. Indis swept a large handful of soul gem shards into her palm, running over to join Serana and Teldryn.

"Got them? Good, put them in here," Serana said, pointing to the silver vessel in front of her. Indis and Teldryn added their ingredients to the vessel, and they turned to her expectantly, waiting for something to happen.

"Dammit, why isn't this working?" the vampire growled, flipping her mother's journal open again, looking at the ingredient list. "Well, I feel like a horker's ass…"

"What's wrong?"

"My mother used her own blood to gain access to the Soul Cairn."

"Well…what about your blood? You are your mother's daughter, after all," Indis suggested hopefully.

"That might just work. Here goes nothing," Serana muttered, dragging the dagger she carried across her palm, holding it over the vessel, letting a few drops of blood splash down into the rest of the mixture.

As soon as Serana's blood hit the vessel, the stone formation on the floor below grinded open, a swirling blue and purple portal revealing itself.

"You two go ahead," Teldryn said. "I can stay here and guard the portal, make sure nothing foul comes out."

Serana nodded. "After you," she said to Indis, gesturing to the portal. Indis set down the steps, a sudden shocking jolt sending her flying back, causing her to land on her back. Serana rushed over, helping Indis to her feet. "I'm so sorry, I didn't realize this before…but in order to enter the Soul Cairn, you have to be dead. It leeched some of your life force away, didn't it?"

"It did," Indis replied weakly, still holding onto Serana's arms. "How can I get in?"

"There are two options. I can turn you, make you like me. A vampire. Or, I can try soul trapping you."

"What would the soul trap do?"

"Well, I would trap part of your soul, and we would offer it up to the Soul Cairn to gain passage. The only problem is that it would make you very, very weak. The choice is yours. Whatever you choose, I'll stand behind."

Indis frowned, turning away from Teldryn and Serana to gaze at the swirling portal at the base of the steps. She hadn't told Serana, but whatever illness was plaguing her hadn't been taken care of by the potions she had made for her. Indis still felt incredibly weak, dizzy, and tired, and what had been bouts of nausea turned into her periodically emptying her stomach. She feared that if she were any weaker, she might meet her end in the Soul Cairn.

"Turn me," she said, turning to face Serana. "Make me a vampire."

"Are you sure? Turning someone is…incredibly intimate."

"I'm sure," Indis said, stepping forward. "Do what you need to do."

Serana placed one hand on Indis' neck, and the other on her hip. "Do you trust me?"

"I do."

"Now, this might feel a bit uncomfortable. You're going to want to resist, but try to fight it."

Indis nodded, taking a deep breath as Serana pulled her closer, firming her grip, trying to calm her rapidly beating heart as she felt Serana's lips brush against her neck, trying to find the right spot. Indis gasped sharply when she felt Serana's fangs bite through the soft flesh of her neck, and she tried to jerk her body away, but Serana pulled her even closer, trying to get her to stay still. Indis squirmed, ready to get away from the painful sensation, when suddenly all went black.

* * *

Indis opened her eyes, and was surprised to see Serana's bright orange-red eyes staring into her own. Serana had Indis' head in her lap, with one hand on the top of her head. "It worked! How are you feeling?"

Indis sat up slowly, feeling surprisingly refreshed, strong, and invigorated. Everything seemed brighter, sharper, sounds and scents more intense. "I feel…amazing," she gushed, looking at her hands, which seemed to now be as pale as Serana's.

"Good," Serana said, pulling Indis to her feet. Ready to explore the Soul Cairn and find my mother?"

* * *

They walked along the small, narrow path in the Soul Cairn, jumping slightly whenever a large crack of lightning shot across the grey-purple sky, following with booming thunder.

"I think my mother will be somewhere in that large castle," Serana said pointing at a massive, looming structure in the distance as she dodged a transparent spirit walking along the path.

* * *

"Serana! What are you doing here?" demanded a woman, scowling as she stepped forward. "And who is this that you've brought?"

"Mother, she's a friend. She's here to help us. Please, calm down. We need the Elder Scroll that you have. Indis, this is my mother, Valerica."

"The Scroll? What are you doing? Is Harkon trying to…the prophecy? Why do you need the Scroll? How do I know that I can trust her?"

"Your daughter trusts me, why don't you?"

"Why do you need the Scroll, Serana? You didn't answer me."

"We're trying to stop father. We have to have the Scroll, mother. Please! You have to help us. I know you may not trust Indis, but I do. She's done more for me in the short time I've known her than anyone ever has before. Why can't you just help?" Serana said, growing angry.

"Oh, really? And how do you intend to stop Harkon? Don't you think I tried?"

"Stop!" Indis cried out, stepping in between them. "Listen, Valerica. We need your Scroll to stop Harkon from fulfilling the prophecy. From what I understand, you want to stop him as badly as we do. In order for that to happen, we need your cooperation. What do we need to do to get this barrier down and get the Blood Scroll?"

* * *

Valerica had sent them out to destroy the Boneyard Keepers that maintained the barrier around the castle she was in, directing them to three different tall towers, telling them to return once they had destroyed the Keepers.

After about an hour, Indis and Serana were jogging back the castle, pleased to see the barrier down. The Keepers had been difficult foes, but Indis was surprised to find herself still feeling energetic and strong after the fights. Perhaps being a vampire wasn't being so bad after all.

"Hurry!" Valerica called out once they arrived back at the castle. "We need to hurry. Durnehviir guards me, and I don't know how long we have until he notices that the barrier is down. Follow me, quickly!"

Indis broke into a jog, catching up with Valerica, opening her mouth to ask who she was talking about when she was interrupted by a loud roar from the skies. If her heart was still beating, it would have stopped at that point. It was a sound that she had only heard once before in her life, and had sincerely hoped to never hear again: a dragon.

"That is Durnehviir!" Valerica called out, readying spells at her hands. "Be ready for a fight!"

A large grey dragon landed on top of a pillar with a crash, stretching out its worn, hole-ridden wings, tilting its horned head before letting out a roar.

"Serana!" Indis called out, drawing her sword to slash away at one of the black, eerie Bonemen that had clambered out of the ground below. If they had to contend with these as well, they would never be able to defeat the dragon.

_Time to be brave, Indis_, she told herself, gritting her teeth, blocking a blow from one of Durnehviir's undead servants. "Can you and Valerica handle these skeletons? I can do my best to focus on Durnehviir!"

Mother and daughter nodded, fighting off the Bonemen with spells, leaving Indis to face the dragon.

Alone.

Indis sheathed her sword, readying the bow in her hands. The dragon had taken off again, and was circling the skies over head, blending in to the dark clouds, making him difficult to see. Indis had an arrow nocked and pulled the bowstring back, hearing a slight creak, ready to let it fly. Suddenly, Durnehviir emerged from behind a dark cloud, and she let the arrow fly, unable to tell if she hit her target.

The dragon landed again, and instead of a simple roar, he let out a massive shockwave, and Indis barely rolled out of the way in time, sputtering as she landed on the ground. Rising, she spat the dirt out of her mouth, pulling back the string of her bow, quickly loosing another arrow at Durnehviir. The arrow landed in the middle of his chest, but he took off in flight again, seemingly unfazed by the small arrow that pierced his scales.

The pattern continued for what seemed like hours, with Indis straining to hit the dragon as he circled the dark, lightning-ridden skies overhead, rolling and dodging his shouts and his undead servants, loosing an arrow, often missing him, at every single opportunity she got.

Durnehviir landed on the ground, mere yards away from her, giving her the opportunity to inspect him closer as she drew her sword. His grey skin appeared to be rotting, riddled with holes, dripping with foul-smelling ooze. He had weakened greatly, and was now awkwardly advancing towards her, his wings and clawed feet dragging along the ground. Despite his apparent injuries, he still moved with great speed. Indis lunged forward, slashing at the rotting flesh, feinting whenever he lazily tried to snap at her with his mighty jaws, using everything Mercer had taught her.

Finally, after Indis managed to plunge the sword through the dragon's mouth, he fell, his body erupting into what appeared to be purple flames, before vanishing.

"I never thought I would see the day when that dragon was dead," Valerica whispered, sounding slightly impressed. "I've read volumes written on slaying him, about how it couldn't be done, but look at you…you've done it all by yourself."

"Is he truly dead?" Indis asked, inspecting the spot where he had once lain.

"No, he isn't. Durnehviir is undead, meaning he can't truly be killed. I imagine he'll reappear at some point, but I'm not certain how long it will take. Hours, weeks, months? We had best keep moving. Right this way."

* * *

"I still can't believe you killed a dragon, all by yourself," Serana said, turning to Indis.

"Honestly, I can't either. Let's hurry up and get out of here, alright? I'd love a hot bath and a good meal," Indis replied, adjusting the large Scroll strapped to her back. She had insisted she carry it, since Serana had carried around the other one.

"Speaking of which, we'll need to talk. Now that you're a vampire, your body is different now. You're going to have different needs," Serana began, voice failing as her eyes fell upon something in the distance.

They had crossed through the entrance to Valerica's castle, and were shocked to see Durnehviir perched on a crumbling stone structure. "Lower your weapons, Qahnaarin," he spoke, a low booming voice. "I wish to speak with you."

Indis lowered her bow, blinking furiously. The dragon wanted to have a conversation…with her?

"My claws have rended the flesh of innumerable foes, but never once have I have never once been felled on the field of battle. For that, I name you Qahnaarin, Vanquisher in your tongue."

"What…what do you want from me?" Indis stuttered, any bravery she had displayed during battle evaporating almost instantly.

"One request, Qahnaarin. It has been far too long that I have been trapped here, forced to guard the one that they call Valerica. My only wish is to fly above the skies of Nirn once again, to breathe the air of Taazokaan, Tamriel. Summon me, set me temporarily free from the Ideal Masters, and I will aid you in battle, Qahnaarin," he said, beating his massive wings as he took off in flight, leaving two bewildered vampires below.

* * *

They walked up the road towards Solitude, mere minutes away from Katla's Farm, when Indis felt a massive jolt of pain shoot through her gut. Clutching her stomach, she fell to the ground, gasping with pain. "Serana!" she moaned, a wave of agony rolling through her midsection.

"Indis!" Serana gasped, kneeling down by her side. "What's wrong?"

"I…I don't know," she replied, barely able to form a coherent thought due to the painful cramping in her stomach.

"We need to get her to Solitude, to somebody," Serana said hurriedly, and Indis felt Teldryn scoop her up in his arms before passing out.

* * *

There was a low murmur of worried voices, and Indis opened her eyes slowly, trying to recall what had happened. The last thing she remembered was feeling incredible pain before collapsing and falling unconscious. She sat up in the small bed she was lying in, looking around for her companions.

"Hello?" she called out, and was pleased to see Serana and Teldryn lean into the room. "What…what happened?"

The two looked at each other, exchanging nervous, anxious glances before Teldryn leaned down and whispered something in Serana's ear. Serana nodded, and stepped into the room, shutting the door behind her. "Indis, how are you feeling?" she asked quietly, gently as she sat down and took one of Indis' hands.

"I-I don't know. Where am I? What happened?"

"You're in the Winking Skeever, the inn in Solitude," Serana said, taking a deep breath before continuing. "Indis you…you passed out on the road here, and…I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

"Serana, what's wrong? What happened to me?" Indis asked, her voice becoming slightly panicked and nervous, fear flooding her when Serana refused to make eye contact.

"Indis…you were pregnant, and you…you lost the baby."

* * *

**Oh man, you guys. Poor Indis. She's not gonna be feeling so great, so leave her some love, would ya? **

**That was incredibly depressing to write (and read, I'm sure), but fear not, things will definitely turn around for her very, very soon. Thanks so much for reading!**


	26. Everybody's Heart's Breaking Now

"What? I was what?" Indis croaked, unable to believe what Serana was saying. "No, I couldn't have been…" she trailed off, thinking to that night she had spent with Ralof, remembering how they hadn't taken any precautions to prevent a child.

"You were," Serana replied quietly, squeezing Indis' hand as she sat down on the bed next to her. "I'm so sorry, I should have recognized the symptoms, and I don't know why I thought it was Ataxia."

"What happened? What went wrong?"

Serana bit her lip, eyes finally rising to meet Indis'. "The child needed a living, breathing, human mother to survive. When I turned you, you essentially died, and the baby died along with you. When your heart ceased to beat, the same happened with the child's. I'm sorry Indis, if I had known, I never would have turned you, and I would have just gone into the Soul Cairn alone."

Indis was quiet, desperately trying to process what she had just been told. She had been pregnant, and hadn't even known until she had lost the baby, and the reason the child died was because of a choice she made. "Serana, it's not your fault, you didn't know either," she whispered, her voice cracking as she broke down into uncontrollable sobs. Serana pulled Indis closer, allowing her to cry until she fell into a deep, exhausted slumber in Serana's arms.

* * *

The carriage ride back to Riften was long, uncomfortable, and awkward. Indis moved to the very back of the carriage, and turned to stare at the clouds of dust they left behind them, not wanting to look at their pitying, concerned faces. She pulled her hood closer around her face, trying to block out the uncomfortable sting of the sunlight on her pale skin, adjusting the dark gauntlets she had put on when the left Solitude. Indis scowled as the carriage came to an abrupt stop, nearly sending her flying over the edge. They had reached Riften.

"I'm…going to head back to Fort Dawnguard," Teldryn said uneasily, hiding his discomfort behind his chitin helmet, giving them both quick waves goodbye. "Let Isran know what happened. Send for me whenever you're ready to go after the other Elder Scroll that we need."

Indis watched him leave with a sullen expression, standing in a morose silence before she finally spoke. "I need to go to Shor's Stone."

"To speak with him? Do you want me to come with you?"

"No…I think I had best do this alone. Thank you, though. I'll be back soon."

* * *

The road to the tiny, nearby town of Shor's Stone was a straightforward one, and Indis left the main, cobbled road to take the small, beaten footpath that led around Fort Greenwall, which was crawling with bandits. She ran into a bear along the way, peppering the beast with arrows until it had closed the distance between, still swiping clumsily at her with its mighty paws, roaring its discontent, until she drew her sword and plunged the blade through the beast's neck. Once the bear had fallen, Indis stepped in closer, taking a deep breath. The smell of blood, man or beast, had once made her sick to her stomach, but since Serana had turned her, the aroma was now too enticing to ignore. She knelt down, placing her lips against the gaping hole her sword had left, greedily drinking until she felt full and sated. Standing up, she wiped away at the blood that had dribbled down her chin, her fingers leaving a crimson smear in their wake. Continuing onwards, she stopped at a small brook and splashed cool water on her face, sloshed it around in her mouth, cleaning up the mess her meal had left behind. Indis pushed on, working over what she would say to him, how she would broach the topic when she spied a small, thatched rooftop in the distance. She picked up the pace; glad to see that Shor's Stone was so close, more than ready to get out of the glaring sunlight. Gingerly stepping down a small slope, she found herself back on the main road, jogging towards the first guard she saw.

"Excuse me, where can I find Ralof of Riverwood?"

"He's probably in the guard house, on break," the man said, spitting on the ground next to her, causing Indis to raise an eyebrow in disgust. "Want me to take ya to 'im?"

"Yes, please," she replied, nervously following, glad that her heart no longer beat, so she didn't have to contend with an erratic, pounding in her chest.

"Ralof," the man said, jerking a thumb towards Indis. "Someone's here to see ya."

Ralof lifted his head in surprised, pulling off his leather helmet, revealing sweaty, tousled blonde hair. "Indis! What are you doing here?"

"Is there somewhere private we can talk?" She asked quietly, taking one of the hands he offered her, ignoring the curious gazes of his comrades.

* * *

They stood underneath a low overhang of rock, in what had used to be a wolf den. The smell of a bloody deer carcass nearby almost undid Indis, and she bit one knuckle hard before turning to Ralof.

"Ralof," she began, hoping to spill everything at once, but was suddenly interrupted by another bout of tears. He pulled her against his chest, strong arms wrapped around her, holding her tight, resting his prickly chin on the top of her head.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice full of concern and worry.

She pulled away from him slightly, eyes still swimming with tears as she looked up at him. "Ralof, I was…I was pregnant and I…I lost the baby."

He stared at her for a few moments, and then pulled her closer to him, burying his face in her auburn hair. "I love you," he whispered. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. I wish I had been. What went wrong?"

Indis removed herself from his embrace, wiping away the tears that had run down her cheeks. "Serana and I had to get this Scroll," she said, motioning to the object on her back. "But…in order for me to enter the Soul Cairn, she had to turn me."

Ralof opened his mouth to speak, and then shut it again quickly as he inspected her, taking in her snow-white skin, sharp tips of her incisors, and the bright orange-red glow of her eyes. "Ysmir's beard, Indis? She made you a vampire?!"

She nodded. "I didn't realize I was pregnant until after she had already changed me, and I only found out when the baby was lost. Ralof, I'm sorry, it's all my fault."

"Shhh," he said, pulling her back into his arms, silencing her with a gentle kiss. "You didn't know. It wasn't your fault, and it wasn't Serana's either. These things happen. It'll be alright. Want me to come back to Riften with you?"

* * *

The walk back to Riften had been pleasant, Ralof firmly holding onto one of her hands with his, fingers tightly intertwined with hers, asking curious questions about her new vampiric state.

"It doesn't bother you?" she asked, taken aback by his nonplussed reactions to her responses.

He stopped, cupping her face with his free hand. "I'll admit, it will take a bit to get used to, but it doesn't bother me. I do know that there are others though, who would hurt you. All I ask is that you be more careful now because of this."

Indis smiled, rising to the tips of her toes to give him a kiss. "I need to stop by Elgrim's Elixer's, want me to meet you at the inn?"

"Sounds good," he said, sweeping her closer for one last kiss before leaving her for the Bee and Barb.

After parting ways with Ralof, Indis took the stairs down to the lower level of Riften, crossed a narrow bridge made of rotting planking, and found her way over to the apothecary. Her hunger had been great since she was so newly turned, and potions of blood had helped keep the hunger at bay, and Indis was hoping that the alchemists in town had a few for purchase.

"Ahh, hello dear!" said Hafjorg, Elgrim's kind wife. "What can I do for you today? How did those potions of fertility work out for you?"

Indis froze, unconsciously grasping at a dead dartwing on the counter. "I beg your pardon?"

"The ones your betrothed purchased, dear. That handsome young Stormcloak soldier, yes? Ralof was his name, right?"

"E-excuse me," Indis muttered, an angry, balled up fist grinding the dead insect into dust. "I need to go."

* * *

Indis slowly ascended to the second floor of the Bee and Barb, a white knuckled hand gripping the railing next to the stairs. After leaving the apothecary, she had wandered around the lower level of Riften, feeling even angrier and broken than before, slouching against barrels, feeling too numb and exhausted to even produce tears. She had carried on in this fashion, staring at the small fish that darted underneath the surface of the water, listening to the soft lapping sounds of gentle waves hitting the wood. Once she felt satisfied that she would be able to confront him without breaking down, she had made her way to the inn.

"There you are," Ralof said happily, stopping when he noticed her cold, silent glare from the doorway. "What's wrong, love?"

"Care to tell me why you were purchasing fertility potions? Or, was that the other blonde Stormcloak named Ralof that I know?" she spat, eyes full of fury as she sat down across from him.

"Indis, I…"

"Explain. Now."

He took a deep breath, his face falling before he spoke. "I did buy them. I wanted you to settle down with me, to get married to me, but you never would give me a definite answer. I thought that perhaps that if something like a child became involved, then you might slow down and come with me."

She stared at him, her mind working furiously to process what he had just said, trying to put all of the pieces together. "The wine," she gasped. "You put it in the wine. That's why it tasted so strange, that's why you were so insistent that I drink it, because you drugged me to try and get me pregnant?!"

"It's not like that, I did it because I lo…"

"What, because you love me?" she hissed at him, rising from the chair. "If you really loved me, then you wouldn't have done something like _that_."

"Where are you going?" he asked, voice full of remorse as it cracked, tears beginning to stream down his face.

"I'm leaving," she said quietly, remarkably calm as she twisted off the worn, scratched silver ring off of her index finger, placing it on the table in front of him, a few silent tears rolling down her cheeks. "I don't want to be here. I don't want to be with you anymore."

* * *

**Well, there it is. The big, giant drama bomb that just exploded and destroyed everybody's happiness. I feel really sad and gross after writing this (maybe it's because I sad ate two Cadbury eggs, and now I want to barf?), so leave me and Indis some love. **

**If you want to get inside the same frame of mind that I was in when I wrote this, go to Youtube and listen to the song 'Everybody's Heart's Breaking Now' by Lavender Diamond. It's the title of this chapter, and it just seemed to fit really well.**

**So, what's up next? Well, Indis has a lot of pent-up rage and anger, and what better way to let off some steam than by joining up with a group of assassins? And fear not, things will get happier! Someone important is coming along very, very soon, and they'll change things for her quite a bit. :)**


	27. Unscrupulous Dealings

Indis sat inside Dead Man's Drink in the city of Falkreath, thumbing through the stack of letters sitting on the table in her room. It had been over two months since she left Ralof behind in Riften, and after she had stormed out of the inn, grabbing Serana on her way out, the two had wandered Skyrim, exploring the province, until Serana convinced her that it was time to head to Falkreath. She had told Indis that it was time to finally accept the Dark Brotherhood's offer.

She flipped open one of the several dozen letters lying in a stack, the most recent one she had received, eyes skimming over the words, reading it with a sigh.

_Indis,_

_I can't stop thinking about you, about what went wrong, about how I ruined everything by being so godsdamned stupid and selfish. I know why you won't answer me, it's because I don't deserve another chance, but I pray to the Divines every night that you'll give me one. I'd do anything for one. _

_Yours,_

_Ralof_

Setting it aside, she picked up another, one that she had also read over and over again.

_Indis,_

_Gerdur said she saw you when you passed through Riverwood a few weeks ago. Said you looked happy, like you were doing well. I hope that's the case. I love you, and I miss you._

_Faithfully yours,_

_Ralof_

After reading that letter, she fumbled around in the stack, fishing out an older one, one of the first that she had received.

_Indis,_

_It's only been three days since you've left, and it feels like an age. I can't stop thinking about you and how badly I've wronged you, and to be honest, I can't think of much but you. I love you. I miss you. Please, please come back to me. Give me another chance to prove that I can make things right._

_I love you,_

_Ralof_

Since they had parted ways on less than excellent terms, Indis had been receiving several letters a week from Ralof, apologizing, begging, pleading and professing his love for her, and asking her to at least speak with him, to please reply back. They were always fairly short, and some were more emotional than others. She never did write back, even though she had been sorely tempted at times, but the letters kept coming despite her silence.

"Reading those again? That's not healthy, you know," Serana said, shutting the door and climbing in to the bed.

"Pah, so you say," Indis said, carefully stacking them again, placing them back in the correct order, and tying a knot around the stack to hold it in place. "I think I'm going to go find the Brotherhood tomorrow morning. Want to come with me?"

"Sure," Serana replied, stretching her arms out. "Now come to bed. You've got a big day tomorrow."

* * *

Finding the entrance to the Dark Brotherhood's sanctuary had proven to be easier than Indis had anticipated. She had asked a guard for directions to the ruins that Astrid had mentioned, and after giving her simple directions, he had warned her to stay away from the black door.

They had set off in the direction he had mentioned, a brisk breeze sweeping across the road, rustling through the trees, bringing with it the soft, earthy scent of pine needles and the chatter of birds.

"I think that this might be it," Indis said, stepping off of the main path, using raised tree roots as makeshift steps as she headed towards a small, very dark pond. "Listen…I don't think you're allowed to come in with me. Do you mind waiting out here? I'll try to make it fast."

"Not at all. I'll be waiting out here," Serana replied, settling down on the ground next to a few nightshade plants.

Indis approached the black door, taking in the macabre skulls and the blood red handprint on it. She reached forward and grasped the silver handle, giving it a slight tug. She stepped back disappointed when the door didn't open, wondering if Astrid had rescinded her offer, when suddenly a sharp, rasping voice came from the door.

"_What is the music of life?"_

She stepped back, surprised, finally speaking after the initial shock had worn off. "Silence, my brother."

"_Welcome home,"_ the door hissed, finally swinging open. Taking a deep breath, Indis stepped inside.

* * *

"Oh, I'm so glad you finally made it!" said a very familiar female voice as Indis reached the bottom of the stairs that led to the entrance. "Welcome to our cozy little sanctuary. I trust you found the place alright?"

Indis nodded, her voice quiet as she spoke, inspecting Astrid. The woman had her cowl off now, and Indis could see that she was a Nord, with fair skin, hair the color of honey, and cold eyes. "It wasn't too difficult. Thank you for offering me a place in your family."

"Our family, dearest. _Our_ family. Speaking of which, they're all very, very anxious to meet you. I have something for you first, though," Astrid said, motioning for Indis to follow her into her bedroom. She picked up a set of armor off a dresser and handed it over to Indis. "Here, it's your new armor. I think you'll like it. Try it on."

Indis kicked off her boots and then set to work undoing the various buckles and straps that held her dusty, sweaty Thieves Guild armor in place. She made a mental note to clean it up the next opportunity she got, before tucking it away in her bag. Grabbing the armor that Astrid had given her, she pulled it on, tugging the buckles and straps into place. Following up with the boots, gloves, and cowl that had been included, she turned towards the mirror in the room, inspecting her reflection.

"I look pretty damn good," she whispered to herself, her voice muffled by the thick material of the cowl. She pulled it off of her head, smoothed down her now messy hair, and rejoined Astrid.

"You look lovely, like it was made for you. Now, introduce yourself to everyone else, and then return to me. I have a job for you," Indis nodded, making her way down the steps that Astrid motioned to, journeying further into the Sanctuary. She reached a large cavernous room, with a small waterfall, joining a small group listening to a little girl recount a recent assassination she had recently taken part in, with great mirth. She told the others about how she had lured her pedophilic victim into an alleyway, and then fed on him. The others laughed after she had finished her story, and then scattered, going back to their duties in the Sanctuary.

Indis stood there momentarily, unsure of what to do, before timidly approaching the nearest member, a tall, blonde, barefoot Nord working on a steel sword. She approached, clearing her throat.

He looked up, unimpressed. "Well there, you must be the little hamshank Astrid told us all about. I'm Arnbjorn, her husband. All you need to know is that I'm a werewolf. I like killing stuff. I love Astrid. I hate annoying people, and the color blue gives me a headache. Now move along, unless you need something else," he muttered gruffly.

"Oh, nice to meet you," she said, backing away nervously. She decided to leave the werewolf alone for the time being.

"Hey, you're new, aren't you? I remember Astrid telling us all about you. Let me guess, she pulled the old 'choose your victim' gag, eh?" said an Argonian, smiling up at her. "Which did you choose? I'm Veezara, one of the last remaining Shadowscales."

"I'm Indis," she replied, sitting down cross-legged on the ground in front of him. "I chose all three, I figured it could have been any of them. What's a Shadowscale?"

"All three? Well, well. No wonder Astrid seemed to like you so much. Oh, and to answer your question, Shadowscales are Argonians that hatched under the sign of the shadow. We devote our lives to the training in the arts of stealth and combat."

"That's fascinating," Indis said, wishing she could ask him more. "I really should be going. I still have to talk to Astrid after I meet everyone," she continued, rising to her feet. She made her way up a small slope, coming to a halt when she realized that the same chanting the same whistling of wind that she had experienced in Bleak Falls Barrow was nearby. She glanced down at a carved wall, realizing that it looked very similar to the one she had absorbed, or whatever that was, the word from. Shaking it off, she continued, finding herself in a small room with an alchemy room.

"What? What do you want?" rasped an irritated older man. "Oh, you're Astrid's new recruit, aren't you? If you need any help with magic, come to me. I was quite the child prodigy when I was younger; I knew all kinds of magic at an early age. Of course, there was the little incident where I burned down the family home with a bit of lightning that got out of control…but that's in the past. Now, are you just going to stand there, or are you going to say something?"

Indis began to awkwardly stammer, but was interrupted by the Dunmer woman sitting at the table nearby.

"Forgive Festus, he's the resident cranky uncle," she drawled, extending a hand to Indis. "I'm Gabriella. I enjoy moonlit nights, long walks on the beach, unicorns, and knitting. You know, once I even took a seaside stroll and stumbled across a unicorn. I proceeded to stab it in the throat with a crochet needle. I am a woman of simple, yet refined tastes. Nice to meet you," she said, rising from her seat, following Festus out of the room.

"You're going to love it here!" said the little girl that Indis had seen earlier, coming over to grab her hand. "Astrid is so nice, and she takes care of everyone. I'm Babette, by the way."

"But you're a…," Indis began, but cut herself off, studying her.

"Oh, but I only look like a little girl! I'm no more a child than you are. Vampirism tends to keep one remarkably fresh, but you already know that, don't you?" Babette said, smiling at Indis. "You're Indis, right? You should go and meet Nazir! He should be downstairs."

Indis smiled, feeling glad to have met another vampire, taking off in the direction that Babette had indicated, spying a Redguard man sitting at the table, sipping mead.

"Hello, are you Nazir? I'm Indis. I'm new here," she said, sitting down by him.

"Well, of course you're new. I'm the one to see about side contracts, but I believe Astrid has a job for you? Best not to keep her waiting. We can speak more later."

Indis found her way back to Astrid, only getting lost twice before she found herself back in the first room she had entered, tapping Astrid on the shoulder.

"Glad you've met the rest of the family, dear. Now, I have a contract for you. I'm sure you've heard rumors of a little boy in Windhelm trying to contact the Dark Brotherhood?"

Indis nodded, recalling what Maul had told her one night out on the docks when they had been catching up on gossip. "Is that my contract?"

"Yes. I haven't had a chance to send anyone else out there, and I think this will be a good opportunity to show us how you work. Find Aventus Aretino in Windhelm, and see who he needs eliminated."

* * *

"What do you think?" Indis said as she stepped outside of the Sanctuary, making an exaggerated pose for Serana as she gestured to her new armor.

"I think your victims are going to enjoy the last thing they see very much," Serana said, laughing as she got to her feet, inspecting Indis' skin-tight new armor. "You were in there for a while. What took so long?"

"I had to meet everyone and got my first contract. It's in Windhelm, some little boy contacted the Brotherhood. After I do that, I'll get a bigger contract. Ready to head back to Fort Dawnguard, with a stop in Windhelm?"

"Actually, I had another idea," Serana said, crossing her arms. "Remember that letter you got some time back from the Jarl of Falkreath?"

"Yes…what about it?"

"Have you gone to see him?"

"Well, no. I haven't really had the time."

"Why don't you go do that now? We're going to have to go back to the hold capital to get a carriage anyway, so you might as well go see him."

"Alright…might as well."

* * *

Compared to the other hold capitals that she had visited, the city of Falkreath was fairly modest in size. Tall pines towered above the small, wooden city, and it didn't take Indis long to find what was obviously the Jarl's longhouse; it was the largest building in the city, adorned with blue banners that fluttered and whipped about in the breeze. Serana had insisted that Indis meet with the Jarl alone, and had left her to relax at the inn.

Indis pushed opened the door to the longhouse, stepping inside. The small windows on the roof let in a little bit of light, with the dust from the longhouse and smoke from the fire passing in and out of the beams of sunlight as it filtered around. There was a large pit in the center of the room, with a warm fire blazing away in the center. Indis gave it a wide berth, having learned to avoid a close proximity to fire ever since she became a vampire. Approaching the throne, she was surprised to see a rather young man sitting upon it.

"Yes? Who are you, and what do you want?" he said dismissively, his smooth, pleasant voice clearly already bored.

"I'm Indis," she said, trying to sound equally unenthused. "You're Jarl Siddgeir? You're a lot…younger than I thought you'd be," she continued, reflecting back on the other jarls she had met, and how they had been much more mature than the one before her.

"Oh? And so are you," he replied, leaning forward with a smirk. "Although, I can't say that I mind what I see."

"Does being so young and inexperienced make your job difficult?" she asked, ignoring his flirtatious remark.

"Difficult? Hah! No," Siddgeir said with a small laugh, running a hand through his raven locks as he stood up. "I eat the finest cuts of meat, drink the best wine, and get to do as I please. Does that sound like a difficult job to you?"

"I suppose not," she admitted, surprised by his bold admission that he didn't really do much. "Your letter."

"Yes, my letter. I have a task that I believe you may be suited for. However, it's not exactly…legal."

She quirked an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. "Go on…"

* * *

Indis approached Bilegulch Mine, wishing that she hadn't left Serana behind when she spotted the massive Orc bandit guarding the entrance. As she got nearer, she raised her hands to show that she didn't have her weapons drawn. "I come in peace!" she insisted, beginning to panic as he approached, his warhammer readied in his hands. "I come with an offer from the Jarl of Falkreath. I need to speak to your leader."

He lowered his weapon, beckoning for her to come closer. "Come with me," he growled, grabbing her arm, dragging her along beside him. "Don't try nothin' funny."

The Orismer man dragged her along, ignoring the curious stares of his comrades, taking her up wooden ramps to a higher level, roughly pushing open the door to the mine. The air inside was dank and dark, but Indis was happy to be indoors.

"Urzog," the man gripping her arm said gruffly. "Someone here to see ya. Says she's got a deal from the Jarl."

"Sit down," the Orc named Urzog said, motioning for Indis to sit at a small table. Taking off his steel horned helmet, he sat down across from her, inspecting her closely. He had pale green skin, large tusks, and his dark brown hair was pulled up into a topknot. "Bazur here says that you have a deal from the Jarl. That true?"

"It is," she said, pulling her hood down, then rifling through her knapsack. She dug out a small, sealed letter, and pushed it across the table towards him. "He was impressed with how well you and your men have been doing for yourselves, and he simply wants a little piece of the profits, that's all."

"What do we get in exchange?" Urzog said, breaking open the seal on the letter.

"For a quarter of the profits, you would be able to operate throughout Falkreath Hold without impunity, but only Falkreath. If you went north into Whiterun, west into the Reach, or east into the Rift, the protection would not follow you as well."

He inspected the letter, brow furrowed, running a large finger over one of his tusks. "A quarter of the profits to be able to do as we please throughout the hold? And if one of us were to be arrested, or taken to jail?"

"I imagine the Jarl would deny his connection to you, but you would likely be freed without any charges," she said, shrugging. "I'm not entirely sure."

"How would we get payments to the Jarl?" he asked, still focused on the letter.

"A designated drop point. I would collect the gold."

Urzog set the letter down, the Orcs that had gathered around behind him listening intently. "Tell your Jarl we've got a deal."

* * *

It was late when Indis arrived back at the Jarl's longhouse, and she arrived damp and unhappy despite her success with the bandits. It always seemed to be raining in Falkreath, and she had gotten caught in a massive downpour on her way back to the hold capital. Stepping inside the longhouse, she stomped the mud off her boots and shook the water droplet off her cloak before approaching Siddgeir, who was still slouched in his throne, just as she had left him.

"It's done," she said, brushing a stray leaf off her shoulder. "They've accepted your offer."

"Good, good! Well done," he said, smiling as he tossed a coin purse to her. "Did you get all the details worked out?"

"Of course, would you expect any less of me?"

"No, I wouldn't. Leaving so soon?" he asked, rising as she turned to leave. "If you don't care for those wretched beds at the inn, there's room enough for two in mine."

Indis turned back to him, surprised to find herself slightly interested in his offer. He was a young, handsome, strong Nord, with dark hair, bright green eyes, and sharp, chiseled features. He had made it clear in the short time that she had known him that he was sleazy, lazy and shamelessly unscrupulous. He was the exact opposite of Ralof, and if he could help her get her mind off her loss, so be it.

"Well, then. Shall we?" she said, motioning towards his room.

* * *

**Whoa, whoa...sleazy stuff is happening now, and she continues to make terrible, terrible choices. Next chapter, she'll get to meet everyone's favorite Dark Brotherhood client: Aventus Aretino! Thanks so much for reading. :)**


	28. Everything is Incredibly Awkward

The soft patter of a morning rainstorm on the thatched roof of the jarl's longhouse roused Indis from a deep slumber. She blinked slowly, trying to get the sleep out of her eyes, trying to recall the events of the previous evening. She had met with the bandits, then she had returned to the jarl, and then she had…

"Oh Gods, what have I done," she quietly moaned, to nobody in particular, turning her head slightly to look at the very naked man next to her in a deep slumber. With any luck, she could escape discretely and quietly. Siddgeir was lying on her arm, and when she attempted to gently tug it free, he gave a snort and rolled onto her numb limb even more.

_Damn_, she mentally muttered to herself, giving her arm another unsuccessful tug, ready to take drastic measures to escape without having to speak to him. _Maybe, just maybe, if I removed my arm, I could get out of here_, she silently joked to herself, seriously contemplating grabbing her nearby dagger and slicing away her left arm. Luckily, Siddgeir rolled away, still snoring, before she had to resort to limb removal. Covering her naked body with the quilt, she quietly slipped out of the bed, tiptoeing over to the chair where her armor was messily piled.

"Where are you going? Come back to bed," Siddgeir mumbled groggily, propping himself up on one arm, patting the empty space next to him.

"I need to be going," she replied quickly, her tone terse as she pulled on her armor. "We shouldn't have done that."

"Oh, now don't be like that," he said, wrapping a blanket around himself as he came to stand behind her, wrapping his arms around her torso and burying his face in her neck. "You shouldn't regret what we did. I certainly don't. I enjoyed myself quite a bit, and judging from some of the sounds you made last night, so did you."

Indis bit her lip, but retained her calm, cool, exterior. Siddgeir had been pleasant company, but she had woken up regretting it for multiple reasons. Even though it had been months ago, she still missed Ralof, still loved him, even almost moaning his name at one point. In addition to that, the sound and feel of Siddgeir's heart pumping blood through his veins had almost been too much for her, and she had found her fangs grazing his jugular on more than one occasion, proving that she wasn't ready to get that intimate, that close to humans again.

"I have to leave now. Lots of work to be done."

"If you insist. I do hope I'll see you again soon."

"Maybe," Indis said, replies getting shorter and shorter. She was ready to be done with this awkward situation.

"Before you leave, I want to give you something," Siddgeir said, pulling on his boots.

"What's that?" she asked, dreading what he would say.

"A home here in Falkreath. I'd like to offer you the property of Lakeview Manor as a gift. You'll have to build the home yourself, though. You can speak to Nenya, my steward to arrange everything."

"Oh! Uh, thank you," she replied, unsure of what else to say, as she awkwardly stumbled out of the room.

* * *

"You didn't come back last night. Where were you?" Serana asked, looking up at Indis as she entered the tiny room in the back of Dead Man's Drink.

"Nowhere," Indis mumbled, hoping that Serana wouldn't push it. "Guess what! As a thank you for doing that work for him, the Jarl gave me a home! I talked to the steward, and hired a bunch of workers to get started building. Hopefully by the time we get back, there will have been a lot of progress made. Want to go see where it's at?"

"Sure," Serana said, getting up from the bed, stretching her limbs. "Let's go see where your new place is going to be."

* * *

It took about an hour to get to the location of Lakeview Manor, and Indis leaned against the carpenter's workbench, watching the fast-moving workers rope off where the different wings of the house would be.

"In addition to the main hall, they're building bedrooms, a storage room, a library, a kitchen, and in a separate building, a greenhouse," Indis said, one gloved hand excitedly motioning to the grassy area. "I think it'll be fantastic."

"This place is going to be _huge_."

"I know," Indis said, taking a deep breath before turning to Serana. "Which is why I was hoping you would live here with me. I remember you saying that you didn't feel comfortable staying with the Dawnguard, so if you'd like, you'll always have a place here. Once it's finished, of course."

"Indis…I-I don't know what to say, but thank you. Are you sure?"

"Of course! Is that a yes?"

"Absolutely. Now, don't you have a job to take care of in Windhelm?"

* * *

Indis had spent a limited amount of time in Windhelm, but she had decided that the snowy, dim, ice-encrusted city was one of her least favorite places in Skyrim. She hoped that the job here wouldn't take too long, and they could get out of this frozen, wretched place as soon as possible. The only upside was that the sun was frequently hidden behind thick, dark clouds, making things a little easier on her and her condition.

"Hey, look," Serana whispered, nudging Indis as she pointed to a Stormcloak soldier leaning against the wall of the inn, her voice filled with contempt. "Isn't that _him_?" she hissed, glaring at the blonde Nord man. She had been furious after Indis had told her what Ralof had done, and she had threatened to go pay the man a visit next time she got thirsty. Luckily, Indis had been able to calm her down.

"I…I think it is," Indis mumbled, pulling her cloak, closer around her, biting her lip when she made eye contact with him. "Damn."

Ralof strolled over cautiously, trying to avoid Serana's intense gaze. "Indis? What are you doing here?"

"Just a bit of work, won't be here too long," she replied, desperately hoping he would leave her be.

"Could we…could we talk? Alone?" he asked, eyes hopeful, ignoring Serana's unwavering and ferocious glare.

"Umm," she muttered, orange-red eyes averted to the ground, a foot stomping nervously at the snow. "I have something to take care of first. Can we meet in the inn later tonight?"

"Of course," Ralof said, eyes lighting up. "I'll see you soon."

"What are you thinking? Do you remember what that man did?" Serana hissed, watching him intently as he walked away.

"I know, I know," Indis sighed, taking off towards a guard. "Can we talk about this later? I need to find this Aventus Aretino kid and find out who he needs to have taken care of. Excuse me," she said, tapping a man on the shoulder. "Could you tell me where I could find the Aretino residence?"

"The Aretino residence? It's right down there," the woman answered. "But I would stay away from there if I were you. I've heard that there's some sort of dark ritual being performed."

"Thank you," Indis said excitedly, briskly walking towards the small building the guard had pointed to. "Who do you think a little kid wants to have killed?"

"No idea. I guess you'll have to ask him."

"Fair point. Damn," Indis said, jiggling the locked door. "I'm going to have to pick the lock. Mind watching my back?" she asked as she crouched down, nimble fingers jostling a lockpick in the door, pleased when the sound of a lock unlocking met her ears.

"I'll wait out here," Serana said, and Indis nodded before slipping inside the small residence.

She took off her cloak, dropping it by the door as she pulled her dark cowl over her head, stuffing a few stray hairs inside, slowly ascending the steps. The house was small, and as soon as she turned a corner, she spotted a small boy lying asleep in his bed. As she made her way over to him, she took note of the black sacrament in a small, empty room to her right. This was definitely where she needed to be.

She gently shook his shoulder, saying nothing, waiting for him to wake. After a few sleepy blinks, his eyes widened and he gave her a huge grin. "You're from the Dark Brotherhood! Oh, I knew you'd come! I knew you'd help me! You don't have to say anything," he continued enthusiastically, sitting up as she remained silent. "You'll take my contract, won't you?"

"I will," she said, voice muffled by the cowl. "The Night Mother has heard you, Aventus. Who is the target?"

"I need you to kill Grelod the Kind, she runs Honorhall in Riften. They call her kind, but she isn't! She's terrible and cruel!" he spat, growing angry at the thought of the woman. "My…my mother died and the jarl sent me away to that terrible, terrible place. So, I ran away and came here, but…but I promised everyone else that I would fix it. That I would get rid of her. Now that you're here, you can help me!"

Indis raised an eyebrow, an action that was obscured by her cowl. She had most certainly heard of the wretched orphanage owner that Aventus spoke of, listened to the rumors of her abuses, both physical and emotional, towards the children that she was supposed to care for, and heard of her refusal to let any of the children be adopted by good homes. It was understandable that someone would want her dead.

"Grelod will die," she said, surprised when the little boy lunged forward to hug her.

* * *

Candlehearth Inn was bustling, a loud drunken murmur of the crowd and the soft singing of a bard meeting her ears as she pushed open the door, stomping snow from her boots as she made her way upstairs, searching for Ralof, spying him sitting alone at a small table.

"I was beginning to think that you'd change your mind about coming here. Mind if we go somewhere a little quieter?"

"Not at all," she said, following him back downstairs to the counter, where he rented a room for them. Indis nervously followed him inside, shutting the door behind her. She had no idea what to expect from this.

"I remember this room," she said, removing her cloak and laying down on the bed. "It was the one I rented the first time I came here. Right before you and I left for Solstheim."

"Aye, it was," Ralof replied, lying down next to her, pausing before continuing. "I've missed you. You never replied to any of my letters. Did you get them?"

"I did. I just…I didn't know what to say, Ralof. I still haven't fully forgiven you," she said, sitting up and turning away.

"I know, I understand. I've been thinking about what I did, about you, every damn day, trying to figure out how I can make things right again. You're the only one that I want to be with, and I won't even touch any woman but you," he said fervently, turning her shoulders so that she faced him.

His words hit Indis like a warhammer in the gut. "You don't mean that," she murmured as she cast her eyes downward, embarrassed as she thought of her night with the sleaziest man she had ever met.

"I do. Every word of it. What's wrong?" he asked, looking concerned.

"Ralof, I need to…" she trailed off, looking up at him. He froze, his eyes never leaving her face, taking in her words, her tone of voice, and he seemed to instantly recognize what they meant.

"Who is he?" Ralof whispered, his quiet voice thick with pain, eyes welling up with tears.

"Just…just a man I met in Falkreath."

"Do you love him?"

"No! I…I hardly even know him," Indis said, hoping that these words would placate him, but they only seemed to make things worse. The tears that had been brimming in Ralof's eyes spilled over, streaming down his cheeks, set in motion by the thought of a man that wasn't him hovering over Indis, of the stranger from Falkreath thrusting inside of her, of another man running his mouth and hands all over the body of the woman that he loved.

"Indis," he said, failing to continue as his voice cracked, and he broke into loud, wracking, body-shaking sobs. He fell forward, wrapping his arms around her waist as he buried his face in her chest, continuing to weep uncontrollably.

* * *

**That's all you get for now! Sorry it's so short. I have several papers due, but as of Thursday afternoon, I will be on spring break, so I'll pick this up again sometime this weekend after I get my coursework done.**

**Sorry to leave you with a weepy, emotional Ralof...but yeeeeah. :/**


	29. A Second Chance at Motherhood

Indis and Serana slipped away from the warmth of the Candlehearth Inn in the wee hours of the morning, ready to shake themselves of Windhelm, obtaining the services of a carriage driver who would then take them to Riften, despite the darkness and heavy snow that surrounded them. Indis had waited until Ralof sobbed and moaned himself into a deep, exhausted sleep, slipping out from underneath his large, heavy body. She hadn't woken him to say farewell and she hadn't left a note telling him that she would be leaving. Indis decided that when one was leaving for good, it would be best to not say goodbye at all.

"Are you going to see him again?" Serana asked, stretching out lazily on the hard seat of the carriage, finally speaking after hours of silence. She hadn't been shy about glaring her disapproval about seeing Ralof the entire carriage ride.

"No…I don't think so. I want to give both of us the chance to move on and be happy, to find someone else. That's not going to happen if we continuously see each other like that. So, I think…I think I'm done," Indis sighed, feeling a strange pang of sadness. "Come on, let's go around to the back of the city," she said, jumping down from the carriage.

They made their way to the back wall of the city, plodding feet crunching dead leaves, stomping through mud until they had finally completed the short walk to the back wall.

"I'm going to climb over. I still don't know if….well, you know, has died down, and I'd also rather not be seen wearing this," Indis said, gesturing to her Dark Brotherhood armor. "Give me a boost up?"

"Honestly, I don't know why I do this," Serana gasped as one of Indis' tiny feet stomped down hard on her hands, pushing off of them. "Good luck."

"Thanks," Indis mumbled, toppling over the stone wall, landing hard with a dull thump on the other side. "Oh, cock," she muttered, rubbing her sore bottom, making a mental note to work on climbing walls and other objects. She stood up, brushing dirt and dead leaves off of her armor, and scanned the area, trying to place where she was at. Recognizing the small cemetery, Indis realized that she was close to the secret entrance of the Guild. She bit her lip, trying to decide if she should go down, at least see if Brynjolf was there, foot tapping erratically. It wasn't the best idea, but she decided to go pay a visit to her red-headed superior.

"Might as well," she whispered to herself, trying to justify her visit. She ran past the secret entrance to the Cistern, not wanting to risk running into Mercer, since he hadn't exactly given her the go ahead to come back. Peeking furtively around the stone wall, Indis saw that several of the guards were sitting on a bench, staring at a small chicken that had wandered into the city, and she sent up a small prayer to the Eight, thanking them for the incompetence of the guards. She hurried over to the worn wooden steps that descended down to the lower level of the city, and crossed small narrow planking towards the Ratways.

It didn't take Indis that long to make her way down to the Ragged Flagon, even though she hadn't used the shortcut. She opened the door to the Flagon, savoring the strange musty, dirty, watery scent of Ratway. It had been far too long. Taking careful stock of the area, she saw that only Delvin and Brynjolf were present, sitting together at a small table. As she was making her way over, Brynjolf looked up, drawing his dagger. Realizing that her face was still hidden by the dark cowl, she yanked it off quickly, motioning for him to stand down. "Brynjolf, it's only me!"

"Lass, what are you doing here?" he breathed, his voice a mixture of worry and shock. "You know that Mercer said to…"

"I know, I know what Mercer said, but I wanted to see how things are going. I miss it here in Riften, and I haven't heard a peep from anybody," she said, pulling up a chair to their table. "Now, you're not going to tell Mercer I was here, right?"

"I didn't see nothin'," Delvin muttered with a shrug and a wink, taking a swig of mead. "I like the new armor, by the way. Look at you, makin' friends all over. How is ol' Astrid doing these days?"

"You know Astrid? She's fantastic," Indis said with a smile. "Now, what's the news around Riften? Around the Guild? I'm assuming Mercer told you what happened, what I got out of Gulum-Ei, right?"

"Riften's 'bout the same," the chubby Breton replied. "But I guess you're asking about _that_, eh? It's died down quite a bit. Aerin is still makin' a fuss though, goin' after the guards to investigate. Luckily for you, he seems to think it was a Dark Brotherhood hit, hired by Maven, but if I were you, I'd keep me head low, just in case someone decides to start askin' you questions."

"Still?" Indis groaned, burying her head in her hands, dragging them down her face. "Thank you for the advice, though. Have any work for me? The coin purse is a little light at the moment," she said, still in shock over how much Lakeview Manor was going to cost her.

"How 'bout a bedlam job? Heard a large merchant caravan just passed through Whiterun, so I bed there's plenty of beauties just lyin' around, ready to be taken."

"Thank you, should be easy enough," she replied, nodding at him before turning to Brynjolf. "Bryn, has Mercer said anything? About Karliah?"

"No, lass. I'm afraid he hasn't. He seems to be waiting for a signal, a sign from her. Don't worry, if he said he'd send for you, he'll send for you. Now, get out of here, before I change my mind about telling Mercer that you were here."

"Thank you Brynjolf," she said, leaning down to give him a small kiss on the cheek, before scurrying out of the Ragged Flagon.

* * *

Indis adjusted her cowl, trying to figure out how exactly she should kill Grelod, before she jostled the doorknob of Honorhall Orphanage to test if it was locked. It wasn't.

She twisted it slowly, stepping inside, the sounds of a shrill voice berating children meeting her ears.

"Now, you little shits, there are going to be extra beatings for anyone who shirks their duties. No one is ever going to adopt you, so you'd better get used to it. Understand? Now, what do you say?"

"We love you Grelod, thank you for your kindness," murmured a chorus of small, unhappy voices.

"Now, get to bed, you wretched little worms."

Indis stepped around the corner, so that she was now facing Grelod the Kind dead on. The children that had been climbing into their beds stopped, turning towards Indis, watching her curiously.

"Who are you? The children aren't up for adoption," Grelod squawked at her, waving her spindly arms, giving evidence to the rumor that she was indeed part Hagraven.

"Aventus Aretino and the Dark Brotherhood send their regards," Indis said, raising her hands. She had decided how she wanted Grelod to die.

"Aventus?! That little piece of shit, once I…" Grelod started, but cut off her words with an eerie screech, as a burst of flames covered her entire body. She crumpled to the ground, still wailing with agony, until her blistered, charred body finally fell silent.

The children surrounded Indis excitedly, giving her hugs, cheering over Grelod's demise as Grelod's assistant, Constance Michel, panicked in the background, screaming as she locked herself in her room.

"Kill one person and you can solve so many problems. I wonder at the possibilities!" mused the only little girl in the orphanage, coming over to stand by Indis, looking up at her masked face with curiosity.

Indis gave the little girl a small nod before slipping out amongst all of the chaos, disappearing into the pitch black darkness of early morning.

* * *

Back in Windhelm, Indis ascended the steps of the Aretino residence, making her way over to Aventus, who was sitting on the floor reading a worn book.

"Well? Grelod the Kind…is she…you know…dead?" he said, looking up at her expectantly, shutting the book he had been reading.

"Grelod is dead," Indis said simply, kneeling down next to him.

"Thank you, thank you! I knew you would do it, I knew the Dark Brotherhood would pull through for me!" he said excitedly, reaching for what appeared to be a large metal plate. "I know it's not much, but you should be able to sell this for something," he said, pushing it towards her.

"I…I can't take this," Indis muttered, bothered by the fact that he was trying to give her what appeared to be his only remaining item of value. His excitement and gratitude had been enough for her. "What are you going to do now?"

"I…I don't know," he mumbled, looking down at his reflection in the plate. "I miss all of my friends, but I don't want to go back to the orphanage. I wish you were my mother," he sighed wistfully. "Having a ma that's an assassin! I bet you'd be the best."

Indis stood up, orange-red eyes staring down at the little boy. She hadn't told anyone, not even Serana, but after she had learned of the child that she had lost, she had found herself wondering what it would be like to have a baby, a child of her own, and she often found herself wishing that the pregnancy hadn't failed. She had found herself staring at mothers and their children with jealousy, and looking at pregnant women with great envy. Taking a deep breath, she pulled off the cowl before kneeling down again, meeting Aventus' eyes with her own.

"I could adopt you, if you want. I have a large house in Falkreath."

"Really?! Are you…are you serious? That'd be the greatest!"

"Yes, I'm sure…son," she said, smiling as he threw his arms around her neck. For the first time in months, Indis finally felt like things might be looking up.

* * *

**Aventus! I couldn't leave him out, since he's the coolest kid ever. Indis gets to be a mom, so yay! I told you things would get happier. Next chapter, it's gonna be all about Jarl Ballin' (if you haven't watched the video, you definitely should. Also, it took me 3 times to spell the word 'video' correctly. My brain is broken). As always, thanks for reading! :)**


	30. Behind the Doors of Dragonsreach

"Welcome to the beautiful city of Whiterun, Aventus," Indis started, gesturing to the city before them, walking upwards towards the Bannered Mare. She had decided that the Jarl's residence would be the best place to perform her Thieves Guild duties, but she didn't want to bring Aventus along with her. "Now, you have to stay with Stenvar and Serana, alright? I have some business to take care of," she continued, gesturing to her companions. She had hired Stenvar on a whim, mainly out of her nervousness that something would happen to Aventus, and she was glad that she had done so. After she watched the hulking Nordic mercenary bash in a wolf's skull with his bare fist during their journey, she knew that she had spent 500 Septims well.

"Ma, can't I come with you?" he complained, looking at her with pleading eyes.

"Maybe another time. Oh, and watch out for a little Redguard girl named Braith. She's…well, uh. Just watch out for her, alright?"

He nodded, giving her one last hug before trotting off after Stenvar and Serana. Indis watched as they went through the door to the inn, and then made her way to Dragonsreach, hoping that she could swipe a few valuables without encountering anyone that she knew. She ascended the steps, nodding at guards as she went past, glad that she had opted to change into a simple cloak and tunic instead of her Thieves Guild armor, which was a definite attention grabber for the guards. Stepping inside Dragonsreach, she noticed that the main hall was empty, and she gave a relieved sigh. At least now, she wouldn't have to explain to anyone why she was wandering around. Indis stopped off by Farengar's little work area, tossing a few soul gems lying on the table into her satchel before continuing upwards, further into Dragonsreach. She found herself heading in the direction of the jarl's quarters, with a quick stop by his stewards room to unburden the man of a few potions and bejeweled necklaces. Carrying on, she pushed open the doors to the jarl's private quarters, passing by the small room she had stayed in the night she was kidnapped by the Dark Brotherhood, a tiny bit surprised when none of the guards stopped her.

Indis closed the door behind her, inspecting the massive area that Balgruuf had to himself. He had a large bedroom, a private dining area, and a large study. She decided to inspect his bedroom first, and set her sights on a large chest at the foot of his bed. Indis gave the latch a gentle tug, sighing when it didn't budge, slipping in a few lockpicks. Her concentration was fully focused on the lock at hand, and she was taken aback when a strong hand closed around her mouth, and another yanked her up, throwing her violently against the wall.

"Indis?" asked the surprised voice of Jarl Balgruuf. "By the Divines, I thought you were an assassin."

"Technically, I am," she choked out, rubbing her shoulder where it had hit the stone wall. "But don't worry; I'm not here for that."

"First the Guild, now the Brotherhood?" Balgruuf said with a sigh, sitting down in a chair. "You know, I remember when I first met you."

"You do?" she said, surprised that he hadn't asked her what she had been doing crouched down like a creep in his bedroom, fumbling around with a lock.

"You were so terrified, so naïve, so innocent. If someone had told me what you'd be doing now, I wouldn't have believed them."

"Ehh…" Indis trailed off, uncertain of how to reply, finally looking up at Balgruuf. He was slumping in his chair now, a dejected expression on his face, seeming to not care about what she had been doing in his private quarters. "Something wrong?"

"It's my son. The youngest, Nelkir. He's become brooding, distant, and violent and he refuses to speak to me. I don't know what I've done to upset him. He's always been a quiet child, always a bit odd, but it's become worse lately. He's become so…dark. I don't know what to do about him. To be honest, I don't know what to do about any of my children," Balgruuf sighed, running his large hands down over his face, pausing to tug at his beard.

"Would it help if…well, perhaps if I talked to him?" Indis asked with hesitation, bothered by the sight of the unhappy man before her.

"I don't know what good it would do, but I thank you for your offer."

"Please, just let me talk to him. It's worth it to try."

"If you do this for me, I would be immensely grateful. Let me know what you learn. "

* * *

Indis found Nelkir in the lower level of Dragonsreach, sulking as he absentmindedly flicked at a dried piece of tundra cotton on the table before him. During the time she spent in Dragonsreach, she had only had a few interactions with the child, but they had always left her with a bad taste in her mouth. She approached him cautiously.

"Nelkir?" she began, calmly, quietly, sitting down at the table next to him. "Your father wanted me to speak to you."

He whipped his head around, turning towards her with an ugly, hateful sneer across his face. "So, that wretched disgusting pig sent you to bother me? One day, I'll tear his face apart so he'll just leave me alone," Nelkir snapped, his eyes burning into her.

She was taken aback, shocked by his hateful, vicious admission. Balgruuf hadn't been lying about the dark turn in his personality. "He's concerned for you, Nelkir. He's worried," she insisted.

"Why can't he just leave me alone? My father knows nothing," Nelkir hissed. "He doesn't know anything about me, but I know lots of things about him and about the war. A lot more than he might think."

"Do you want to tell me about these things? What do you know?" Indis gently urged, hoping she wasn't pushing him too far.

The little boy shrugged. "I know that he still worships Talos, but in private, when he thinks nobody can see him. He also hates the Thalmor as much as Ulfric Stormcloak does. And…" he faltered, his face growing sad and grim. "That he…that I…that I don't have the same mother as my brother and sister."

Indis' jaw slacked slightly, leaving her mouth agape. He certainly knew all kinds of secrets. "Where did you learn these things? Who told you?"

"There are all kinds of places here in Dragonsreach, old, dark, dusty places where people don't go anymore. There are places where you can see things, hear things, and nobody even knows you're there. Oh, and there's the Whispering Lady."

"Who is the Whispering Lady?" Indis asked curiously, finally feeling as though she was getting somewhere.

"I don't know her name. I've asked her, but she won't tell me. I've gotten to be really, really good at listening at keyholes, and that's where I found her. She's behind a door in the basement, and when I get close, I can hear her talking to me. At first, I thought I got caught, that I was going to get in trouble, but…she told me all kinds of things, even more secrets. I want to meet her, but I can't get the door open. You know, I bet she would talk to you, too."

Indis stood up, an uneasy feeling in her stomach. "Nelkir, can you take me to this door? I'd like to meet the Whispering Lady."

"Come on, it's in the basement," he said, jumping up, and running off, Indis taking after him, following him through old dusty storage rooms until they reached a dead end with a bloodstained door. "This is it. This is where she is."

Indis lifted away the empty wooden crates blocking the door and kicked aside the piles of hay blocking it before giving the doorknob a turn. It was locked, just as Nelkir had said it would be.

"Told you it was locked. Don't know what you were expecting," he said, giving her a small smirk.

"Oh, hush," she muttered, leaning in to press her ear against the door. With her head and palms pressed against the cold grain of the wood, she waited, listening. Finally, a voice spoke.

_At last, _breathed a honeyed female voice. _I've been waiting for someone more fit to carry out my will. This child is indeed spirited, but he lacks…agency. There are so many limits to what young children can do._

"Is…is there someone there?" Indis asked, her eyes widening. "Is someone behind the door?"

_Unfortunately, I cannot reach your plane more directly. But, I do forgive you for not knowing who I am. It is regrettable that so few hear my whispers anymore. I am Mephala, the Lady of Whispers. It is my aim, my purpose, to tug at the delicate web of connections between mortals. Love…hatred…loyalty…betrayal. The boy proved to be quite useful for sussing out secrets, however, that is where his usefulness ended. I expect that you will be able to take a more direct role. _

"What do you need me to do?" Indis whispered, ignoring Nelkir's curious, excited gaze.

_Before we continue, you must unlock the door. There is a great piece of my power that has been locked away, hidden away from the grasp of mortals for far too long. However, even I cannot gaze past the seals that have been put into place. I desperately want my prize to be in the hands of someone ambitious and talented. Someone such as yourself. _

"How can I get the door open?"

_The Jarl's court is brimming wartime paranoia and tensions. It is only understandable that they would fear my power. The Jarl trusts so few, and oh, they shall be the ones to be his undoing. Ask the dark child. He knows of what I speak. Ask him to guide your path._

Indis pushed off of the door, scarcely able to believe what she had just listened to. Mephala, a Daedric Lord, was responsible for Nelkir's odd, violent, brooding? She was still trying to process what had just occurred when the boy's voice interrupted her.

"Did she speak to you? You know the Whispering Lady now, don't you? I knew she would speak to you!" he continued excitedly, not even pausing for a response.

"Nelkir, shhh, let me think," she said absentmindedly, motioning for him to be silent while she thought. "Do you know how to open this door?"

"Of course I do!" Nelkir said adamantly, looking affronted that she would even ask. "I told you, I know all kinds of things about this castle. For some reason, this door is special. There are only two people who have the key, my father and his court wizard. I doubt either would give you the key, so you'll just have to take it somehow. You know," he said, pausing slyly, voice lowering to a whisper. "I bet no one would even notice if Farengar went missing. If they did, they wouldn't care. I promise."

"I'll be right back," she said, ready to report to Balgruuf. "In the meantime, stay away from the door, alright?"

* * *

"Did you find anything out?" Balgruuf said, looking at her expectantly as she approached the desk in his study, his face falling again when he noticed the grim line that her mouth had set itself into.

"My Jarl, we should talk. It's…well, it's not what I expected. It's actually a lot worse than what I expected," she said, sitting down in the chair across from him, tousling her hair.

"Worse? What do you mean? Tell me what you learned," he insisted, leaning over his desk.

She bit her lip, recalling the hateful words that his son had spewed, the secrets he told her. "Everything? Are you sure?"

"I am. Please, tell me, Indis."

"He certainly was angry, his words were very violent, and he didn't seem pleased at all that I was there speaking to him on your behalf. He told me all kinds of secrets…" she trailed off, uncertain as to whether or not she should continue. "He said that…that you worship Talos in secret. That you despise the Thalmor. That…that he has a different mother than his siblings."

"Wha-what?" he gasped, obviously taken aback. "Where would he hear things like that? Of course he has the same mother as his siblings, where has he heard a lie such as that?"

"He…he fell under the influence of the Daedric Lord Mephala. She's been filling his head with, well…all of that. I…I spoke to her, too. She wants me to open a door. Says there's something behind it, an object of her power. Nelkir said that you have the key to the room. You know which room I'm talking about, don't you?"

"I do," he said, his voice rising.

"I need to get in there."

"Absolutely not," he snapped, his blue eyes angry. "You have no idea what's behind that door! You have no idea how dangerous it is!"

"You're right, I don't, but whatever it is, it's influencing Nelkir, and I don't know if your other children will fall under the same spell, or if Nelkir will get worse. Do you want to wait around to find out what's going to happen?"

He fell silent, brow furrowed as he stared her down.

"My Jarl, please. Let me help you. Do you trust me?"

"I do," he said quietly, pushing a small key across the desk towards her.

* * *

The sun was setting over Whiterun, the soft, vivid pinks and oranges of evening light washing over the great porch of Dragonsreach, a gentle breeze whipping the nearby banners back and forth. Balgruuf stared at the long, thin blade lying on the table, uncertain as to what they should do next, while Indis flipped through the worn, aged book she had found lying next to it.

"_Admonition Against Ebony_," she said, thumbing through the pages. "It's a warning against taking the blade and using it. It speaks of the corruption it's caused, that anyone who finds it should simply leave it in the room, and never speak of it to anyone. Mephala spoke to me when I took it, said that the blade wouldn't live up to its full potential until…until it was stained through treachery."

"How do we destroy it?" he asked, reaching out and gingerly touching it.

"That's the issue," Indis replied, flipping further into the book. "I don't think it can be, but…I think I can take care of it."

"How?"

"There are plenty of deep, dark places in Skyrim, places that no one will ever go. I'll find one, and I'll drop it there."

"Thank you for doing this for me. I don't know how I can ever repay you," he said, crossing to the other side of the table, taking her small hands in his large, calloused ones. "If there is anything you should ever need or desire, please, do not hesitate to ask me. I am entirely at your service."

"Oh," she stammered nervously, removing her hands from his, sitting down at the table. "Thank you. I'll…I'll be sure to keep that in mind."

"It's strange," Balgruuf continued, nonplussed by her nervous reaction, taking the book out of her hands as he sat down next to her. "You've done so much for me, for my court, you've earned my full trust, yet…I know so little about you."

"I beg your pardon?"

"All I know is that your name is Indis, and you're associated with the Dawnguard, the Thieves Guild, and the Dark Brotherhood. That's all I know of you."

"Well, what do you want to know about me?"

"Indis, forgive me if this is too bold, but if I'm being perfectly honest…everything."

Indis looked down nervously at the Ebony blade, thanking the Divines that her undead state prevented her from blushing. "Ask anything you'd like."

"It's obvious that you're not from Skyrim. Where is your home?"

"Bravil, in southern Cyrodiil. It's where I lived until I was eighteen."

"Do you have a surname?"

She paused, thinking carefully, realizing that during her time here in Skyrim, she had never told anyone her family name. Not even Ralof. "Mero," she said. "My full name is Indis Mero," surprising herself when she told him.

"Mero? That sounds familiar."

"My father was, well, perhaps still is, a merchant with the East Empire Company."

"You don't sound entirely certain," he said, looking at her inquisitively.

"My father and I didn't exactly part on the best of terms. I…I don't keep in touch with him. He doesn't even know I'm alive."

"I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for. It's better this way," she said, drumming her fingers on the fine table, avoiding making eye contact.

"What happened to your eyes?"

"What, what do you mean?" she asked, surprised by his question.

"Your eyes. They used to be green. I was just curious," he said, shrugging.

"I, uhh, I contracted vampirism," Indis replied, opting to leave out the fact that she had chosen to become a vampire willingly.

"Vampirism?" he whispered, shocked as he leaned in closer, inspecting her eyes. "Tell me, do you find me tempting right now?"

"_What?_" she gasped, surprised by a strange fluttering sensation in her stomach. "My jarl, I hardly think that's appropriate…"

"I meant my blood, is it tempting. That is what sustains you, correct?"

"That isn't exactly an appropriate question either, but if you want honesty, then yes, it is."

He laughed, a booming sound that echoed across the porch. "I do enjoy spending time with you. You're an intriguing woman."

Indis rose from the table quickly, almost stumbling backwards in her haste to get up, but was stopped by one of Balgruuf's hands grabbing her arm, helping her steady herself. "It's getting late."

"Leaving so soon? Will you return tomorrow?" he asked, sounding slightly hopeful as he stood up from his seat.

"Perhaps…I…I really should be going, my Jarl, it's getting late. I'm expected back at the Bannered Mare."

"Indis," he said, stepping towards her. "How many times must I ask you to call me Balgruuf?"

"At least once more, my Jarl. As always."

* * *

**Oh my GODS you guys! 6500 views, 88 comments?! You guys are just making me squeal with joy over here. SHEOGORATH AND I SEND SWEET ROLLS AND CHEESE TO YOU ALL!**


	31. A Dagger and More Awkwardness

Indis climbed the steps to the Bannered Mare, hauling her small bag of loot over her shoulder, which Balgruuf surprisingly hadn't confiscated from her. She silently pushed the doors open, making her way over to a lone table in the corner, hoping to be left alone with her thoughts for a while. Slumping down in a chair, she gave a confused sigh as she thought back on the afternoon's events; Balgruuf handing over the key that unlocked a room with a dangerous Daedric artifact, Balgruuf thanking her profusely, Balgruuf holding her hands in his…

She shook her head, trying to ignore the strange fluttering in her stomach that had returned, something that she found just as confusing as his actions. Indis had always liked the Jarl of Whiterun, but after thinking about him more and more, she found herself _liking_ Balgruuf.

_Don't be stupid,_ she mentally berated herself, scuffing a foot against the floor. _Remember what happened last time you got intimately attached to someone? Didn't go so well, did it? He wouldn't be interested, anyway. He's just being polite and kind, because that's how he is. Besides, a JARL wouldn't be attracted to someone so…lowly. Especially one with your condition. Indis, stop being stupid. Go take a cold bath, you idiotic tart._

"Where have you been? Ma, I got you something," called out a voice, breaking Indis out of her bout of tearing herself down. "I hope you like it. Stenvar said you would," Aventus said, stopping in front of her, placing something in her hands."

Indis flipped the book over in her hands, smiling at the title. _Sithis_. "I love it, thank you. I look forward to reading it. Have fun exploring Whiterun?"

"I did! Stenvar took me up to Jorrvaskr, and I got to meet the Companions. They're alright, but I would rather join the Dark Brotherhood, just like you. Serana didn't want to come; she said they probably wouldn't like her very much. I don't know what that means, though," Aventus said, rather quickly. "And…that's all."

"Are you sure you're not forgetting something?" said Stenvar, fixing his stern gaze on Aventus. "Tell her."

"Tell me what? Aventus, what did you do?"

The little boy remained silent, refusing to meet Indis' gaze. Finally, after a few moments of silence, Indis looked up to Stenvar, hoping he would tell her what was going on.

"The short story is that some kid came up to him, they didn't exactly hit it off, and the kid threatened to practice his fighting on Aventus with his fists."

"…And?"

"And Aventus here responded by drawing that little dagger you gave him, and tried to slice the brat up. Luckily, he only cut the boy's arm before I managed to stop him."

"Who was the boy?"

"Some kid named Frothar."

Indis groaned and buried her head in her hands momentarily, before raising her head to meet Aventus with a steely gaze. "What were you thinking? Attacking anyone like that is bad enough, but the son of the Jarl? Come on, it's not too late in the evening. We're going to Dragonsreach and you're going to apologize not just to Frothar, but to the Jarl as well."

She motioned for him to follow, and he trotted after her nervously with his head down. As they reached the steps up to the Jarl's residence, he grabbed her hand nervously and clung on with wide eyes. "What do you think the Jarl is going to do to me?"

"I don't know. Probably throw you in the dungeons."

He stopped, his eyes growing even wider, and his grip tightened.

"Aventus, I'm kidding. The Jarl is a good man, just apologize, alright?" she sighed, opening the doors to Dragonsreach, motioning for him to go in ahead of her. They walked up towards the Jarl's throne, and Indis noticed that Frothar was sitting by the throne at his father's feet. As they got closer, Aventus let go of her hand, no doubt wanting to appear tougher.

"Indis! You've returned. Need something?" Balgruuf asked as she approached.

"Yes, actually. My son has something to say," she said, giving Aventus a gentle nudge forward.

The two children glared at each other for several moments until Aventus finally spoke. "Frothar, I'm sorry for trying to stab you. Jarl Balgruuf, I'm sorry for trying to stab your son…even if he did say he was going to beat me up."

Frothar stared at Aventus for a few moments before shrugging. "It's fine, I guess. Want to go play?"

"Sure," Aventus said, following him out towards the great back porch, leaving Indis alone with the Jarl.

"I'm incredibly sorry about that," she stammered, feeling incredibly embarrassed. "I don't know what he was thinking. I gave him that dagger to defend himself once we got back to Falkreath, but I didn't think he would try and do something like _that_."

"It's quite alright. Frothar appears to be fine, and they seem to have made amends," Balgruuf said, making his way over to one of the large tables in the main hall, pulling out a seat for her. "But…your son? I didn't know you had a son. Are you married?" he asked, his voice taking on an odd tone.

"I'm not. Aventus is adopted. I…I was engaged once, but it ended," Indis replied, taking her place in the chair he offered to her.

"May I ask why it ended?" he asked, leaning forward, his eyes full of curiosity.

"I'd…rather not talk about it," she said quietly, fiddling with a candlestick on the table.

"Forgive me," he said apologetically. "I didn't mean to pry. Why are you travelling to Falkreath?"

"I own a home there. Lakeview Manor, it overlooks Lake Illinalta. Speaking of which, I really should be going now. We leave early tomorrow morning, and well, it's been a while since I've…well…let's just say I'm hungry, and leave it at that. Goodnight, my Jarl," she said, sounding a bit terse. Indis quickly rose and headed towards the back of Dragonsreach to find her son, eager to avoid any more emotionally confusing interactions with the Jarl.

Balgruuf watched her leave, letting out a long sigh. "Dammit," he muttered to himself, uncorking a large bottle of wine.

* * *

"I still can't believe that you did that," Indis said, tucking Aventus into his bed at the Bannered Mare. "Until you learn a little discretion, I'm going to hold onto this," Indis said, taking the dagger off his bedside table. "You can have it back when we get to Falkreath.

Aventus gave her a small scowl, and then sighed. "Alright Ma. Goodnight."

"Goodnight Aventus," she said, ruffling his hair before leaving the room he would be sharing with Stenvar, finding the room she was sharing with Serana.

"Where have you been?" Serana asked, watching Indis as she joined her friend at the room's small table. "Here, take this. It's a potion of blood. It should sustain you until we can go hunting."

"Thank the Divines," Indis said gratefully, popping the bottle open and downing its contents in record time. "I've been starving. Oh, and as to where I've been, Dragonsreach."

"Spending time with the Jarl?" Serana asked, her eyebrows waggling suggestively.

"What? No!"

"Why not? He seems to like you. Quite a bit, actually."

"I'm sure the only reason he tolerates my company is because I'm useful to him," Indis replied glumly. It was something she had been telling herself all afternoon, and despite the frequency with which she repeated the words, she didn't feel any better about what she believed to be a harsh truth.

"If you say so. What's that?"

"This…is a problem," Indis said, unwrapping the Ebony Blade that from the cloth she had hidden it under, letting out a huge sigh as she stared at it. She still wasn't entirely sure about what she should do with it.

"Do I even want to know?"

"Probably not. Know of a deep, dark, secluded place where we could dispose of a dangerous artifact?"

"Not at the moment, but I'm sure we'll come across one. Oh, by the way, a letter came for you while you were out," Serana said, pushing a small slip of paper across the table towards her. Indis picked the letter up and broke the seal, eyes scanning over the short, simple message inside.

_It's time. Meet me in Windhelm._

_-M_

* * *

**A teensy little filler chapter, nothing too big. Next chapter is gonna be big, and it's all about Mercer Frey! Indis and everyone's favorite gruffy grouch arsehole Guildmaster travel to Snow Veil Sanctum. Think she has any idea what lies ahead?**


	32. The Beginning of the End

It took Indis and Serana a few days to reach Windhelm, with a quick stop to leave Aventus and his massive Nordic caretaker at the estate in Falkreath, which was nearing completion. Stenvar had offered his services as a steward for her home, in addition to being a glorified babysitter for Aventus. Indis gladly accepted his offer. There were several workers there that told Indis by the time she returned; Lakeview Manor would be fully complete.

"What are we doing here?" Serana asked Indis, looking around the grey, snowy, freezing city known as Windhelm. "I thought you didn't care for it here."

"I don't," Indis replied, briefly reflecting on the unpleasant events that had taken place in Windhelm. She sincerely hoped that they didn't run into Ralof while they were here. She didn't know if she could handle another awkward, emotional confrontation full of tears. "But I need to meet Mercer here. I'm guess he'll be inside the inn. Not many other places he could be. I might as well check here first," she said climbing up the stairs to the second level of the inn, sighing with relief when she spied Mercer sitting in the chair where she had once found Stenvar. "I'll see you later, alright?" Serana nodded, taking her leave of Indis.

"Good, you're finally here," Mercer said, pushing a bottle of mead towards her. "I wasn't sure if my letter would find you."

"It did, and no thank you," she replied, waving her hand dismissively at the mead. "I take it you've heard something from Karliah?"

"Too good for Black-Briar mead, are we? And yes, I've heard from Karliah."

"It's not that, it just…well, mead isn't my thing. What have you heard? What's the plan?"

"We have two days to get ourselves to Snow Veil Sanctum. Hopefully, we'll be able to take care of her, once and for all. Speaking of which, you're going to need something better than that wretched excuse for a sword that you probably plundered from some dead lowlife."

"There is nothing wrong with my sword!" Indis replied defensively, touching the stubby hilt of the battered blade at her side.

"_Everything_ is wrong with that sword. Here, I have something for you," Mercer said, picking up something off the floor next to him. He placed the object on the table, unwrapping the cloth around it to reveal a gorgeous, icy-blue glass sword. Upon closer inspection, Indis noticed that there was a faint, icy smoke coming off the edges. "This is Chillrend."

"This is for me?" Indis asked, gingerly taking the sword from his hands, still in awe of its beauty.

"I'm sorry, were you not listening? Didn't I just say that I had something for you, right before I put that in your hands?" he said, his typical condescending tone quickly returning.

"We were having a nice moment, and there you go, ruining it by being a rude arse. Thank you for the sword."

"You really should be used to it by now, and…you're welcome. I have some things to take care of, and while I get them done, I need you to handle something here. Just a little job, nothing too big."

* * *

Indis sighed with irritation, starting at the man hunkered down in the snow in front of her. He was a pitiful, drunk, racist, belligerent sight, and she honestly didn't know why Mercer had sent her to deal with him, given that he was much more threatening.

"Alright, Rolff," she said harshly, grabbing the collar of his shirt and jerking him up roughly. "You owe the Guild quite a bit of coin. One thousand Septims, wasn't it?"

He nodded shakily, wiping away the small trickle of blood that was slowly dribbling down his chin. "A-aye, I do. But if you just tell Mercer or Brynjolf that…"

"Tell them what," Indis said testily, jerking him again by his tunic, more roughly this time. "I don't like where this is going, Rolff. You know, Mercer is here, just a few minutes away. Want me to go fetch him?"

The man's eyes widened and he continued to tremble with fear. "No! No! I-I don't have the money! Not now! Just…just some more time?"

"You've had more than enough time!" she said furiously, slapping him across the face, leaving behind a bright red welt on his cheek. Her hand stung from the slap, her wrist ached from punching him in the face earlier, but she hid any sign that she was in pain. Mercer wanted her to get the money and send a message across. "It's time for you to pay your godsdamned debts, Rolff Stone-Fist."

"Li-listen," he said nervously, wringing his hands. "I don't have the money, but I know my brother will give it to you!"

Indis released the man and crossed her arms. "Tell me where I can find your brother, then."

* * *

The Palace of the Kings was empty, with only the Jarl's steward standing by the throne, looking rather bored. Indis approached him, his eyes perking up as she got closer. "Here to join the Stormcloaks? Go see Galmar Stone-Fist in the war room. Its right over there," he said, pointing towards a small room off to the side of the main hall.

_Join the Stormcloaks? No thank you, kind steward. But I do appreciate you pointing me directly towards the man I need to find_, Indis thought to herself, smiling as she strode into what he called the war room. There was a massive Nord man leaning over the table in the center, studying the map laid out, moving to adjust one of the little blue markers. He was dressed in the garb of a high-ranking Stormcloak officer, spikes, claws, and bear fur adorning the umber leather. The man cracked his knuckles and reached up to adjust the absurd bear head helmet he was wearing. Indis cleared her throat.

"State your business," he said, a low, thick gravelly accent reaching her ears, not even looking up at her. . "Here to join the Stormcloaks?"

"Join? No thank you. Not interested."

"Then why are you here, wasting my time?" he growled, large fingers delicately adjusting another map marker.

"I'm here because your brother owes my organization a great deal of money, and unfortunately, he's been unable to acquire what he owes. However, he said you would pay what he owes."

He remained hunched over the table, his fingers hovering over the map, pausing momentarily before standing up straight, his stern, icy blue eyes boring into her. Galmar looked at Indis, giving her the once over. To him, she didn't seem very intimidating; she was a little wisp of an Imperial, with short, messy auburn hair flying wildly about her head, coppery freckles dotting her face, and odd red eyes that were focused directly on him.

"You think you can come in here, demanding money from me? You've got a lot of nerve, coming here, demanding money from someone as high-ranking as me," he growled, using the most menacing tone he had, one that had frightened seasoned warriors more threatening and fierce than her. She wasn't the first to come demanding him to give money that his idiot brother owed, and she wouldn't be the last. Galmar Stone-Fist had little patience for a few certain types: thieves were one of them. Hopefully, he would be able to scare her off, forcing her to leave empty handed.

"Yes, yes I do. Now, are you going to pay or not?" Indis demanded, now leaning on the opposite side of the table.

Galmar grunted, and tugged at his beard. Time for a new tactic, it seemed. "Why don't you let it go? Can't you tell that he doesn't have much?"

"I don't care," Indis said harshly, orange-red eyes full of fire as she leaned forward even more. "Either he pays his debts, or his kind do. That would be you, just in case we weren't entirely clear. I'm not going to make any exceptions for him. I don't care who brings the gold, as long as it gets there. Bring 1000 Septims, no less, this evening at the Candlehearth Inn, and then I'll consider his debts paid."

With that, Indis stood upright, gave him a small nod, and exited the room, feeling rather pleased and proud of herself. Galmar watched her leave, silently fuming at the nerve and audacity she had to come in here and make such demands of him, trying to ignore the small amount of admiration he had for her boldness.

* * *

Indis leaned against the wall of the Candlehearth Inn, listening to the sound of the bard singing, shaking her head in disgust, wondering who in their right mind would think it was appropriate to ask a Dunmer in Windhelm to sing the undoubtedly pro-Stormcloak "Age of Oppression".

"Here, your money," said a gruff voice. Indis turned, surprised to see the Galmar standing in front of her holding a massive bag of gold. "Take it before I change my mind."

"I'm glad you decided to cooperate," she replied, smiling as she took the gold. "I'll be seeing you around."

"I hope not," the Nord muttered, walking away.

Indis headed back downstairs, making her way towards the room that Mercer had told her he would be in; quietly opening the door to find him sprawled out on his bed in a deep slumber. Storming over, she grabbed his shoulder and roughly shook him awake. "This is the important business you had to attend to? You had to take a _nap_? You needed to catch up on your beauty sleep while I went out and did work?"

He blinked slowly as he woke up, rolling over to glare at her before slowly standing up. "That's why you came barging in here like the inn was on fire? To nag me for catching up on sleep? Did you get the gold I sent you for?"

"I did, and I'm not nagging."

"Yes, you are. Perhaps I should send you off to deal with Karliah, since you could probably just nag her to death."

Indis glowered at him, raising her hand, moving to strike him across the face, but he caught her by the wrist and yanked her close to him before her palm could make contact with his cheek. "You really want to try that again? I'm onto you."

"I was _not_ nagging, and I just don't see why I had to—

She began, but was quickly cut off as his mouth crashed down against hers, the rough stubble on his face cutting against her chin and cheeks like dozens of miniature knives. He had her pressed against the wall of his room, and his deft hands quickly worked to unbuckle her armor.

"Wha-what are you doing?" she panted, unable to string together a longer sentence, coming undone as his mouth moved down to her neck, leaving a string of bites and bruises in its wake.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" he mumbled, satisfied that he had undone the last buckle on her armor. "Had to do something to get you to shut up. Any objections?"

"No…carry on."

"I'll let you in on a little secret," he murmured, knotting his fingers tightly in her hair. "I've wanted to do this ever since I realized I liked the way you looked in my bed."

* * *

The following morning, Indis inspected the souvenirs of the previous night in the mirror, flinching whenever her fingers brushed across a bright purple bruise, sighing whenever she spied a bite mark she had missed during her first inspection, and smiling with pleasure when she thought about the rough actions that had put them there. She was still trying to wrap her head around the fact that she had just slept with her Guildmaster, wondering what the consequences of that might be. She liked Mercer just fine, and he had proven that he was more than competent between the sheets, but last night she had found herself thinking of an older, blonde Nord more than once. Compared to Ralof and Siddgeir, the older Breton had been rough and relentlessly violent, raking his nails across her body, yanking on her hair and biting down hard on her soft flesh. Tugging on her boots, she inspected Mercer's sleeping form, pleased to see that her fangs had left a few marks of their own, something that he had seemed to enjoy.

She slipped upstairs, settling down at a table by herself, hoping to be left alone with her thoughts for a while.

* * *

"I've been thinking," Mercer said, taking the chair directly across from her. "I've decided to go to Snow Veil Sanctum alone. You're heading back to Riften."

Indis paused, the edge of the potion bottle pressed against her lips. "What? No! I'm coming with you."

"No, you're not."

"Yes, I am."

"No…you're not. Enough."

"I am. Don't you need someone to have your back? You've been blathering on and on about just how dangerous Karliah is. Do you really think I'm going to let you go alone?"

He gave her one last fierce glare before standing up and turning to walk away. "No. That's final."

Indis stared at him, utterly confused by his sudden change of heart. She rose to go and find Serana, hoping to find her friend to tell her that it was time to part ways, and that she was going to go after Mercer, whether he liked it or not.

* * *

"There you are," Indis said, approaching her companion who was perched on a short ledge outside of the inn. "I need to talk to you."

"What's going on?" Serana asked, dusting the snow off of her shoulders.

"I think we should part ways, at least for a little while. I've got to follow Mercer, take care of some business. Meet me back here in a few days?"

"I…I suppose so," Serana said, furrowing her brow.

"Good, I'll see you soon," Indis said, waving goodbye as she jogged towards the gates of Windhelm.

"I don't have a good feeling about this," Serana muttered to no one in particular, a gust of wind carrying her words away as she watched Indis leave with great unease.

* * *

"You are determined to be a thorn in my side, aren't you?" Mercer growled, hunched over in front of the door to the ruin, working on the lock. "I thought I told you to go back to Riften."

"Did you forget that you needed me to nag Karliah to death? Do you remember saying that? I'm not going to let you go in there alone, alright?" she insisted, crossing her arms and hoping that he got the lock open soon and they could get out of the freezing sleet.

"Fine," he muttered, flinging the door open. "Lead the way, then."

"You want me to lead?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I was under the impression that I was in charge here. You lead, and I'll follow. Anything you need me to clarify further?"

"No," Indis mumbled, stepping inside the ruin, scowling at the disgusting scent of draugr.

"Good. Now keep your eyes open in here. Karliah is sharp as a whip, and I'm certain she's reset all of the traps, so be careful," he said, drawing his blade.

* * *

"See those hanging there? Those are bone chimes. Very clever. No doubt Karliah rigged them up to wake the draugr. Try not to blunder into them, alright?" Mercer whispered, his unsheathed Dwarven blade glittering in the dim candlelight.

Indis nodded, slowly sneaking forward, carefully maneuvering through the numerous chimes hanging from the ceiling, her tiny form managing to avoid all bone chimes. Once she made it through the gauntlet of chimes, she made to stand up, but was interrupted by the loud, echoing rattle of a chime making contact with Mercer. She turned towards him slowly, her mouth forming the most obnoxious, smug smirk she could muster.

"_Don't you say a fucking word_," Mercer growled, his voice barely heard over the sound of waking draugr bursting forth from their coffins.

* * *

Indis crept quietly along the narrow hallway, stopping in surprise as she rounded the next corner. She stood up, inspecting the burnt corpse there, charred limbs wrapped around its destroyed torso, its empty mouth and eye sockets stuck in its pained, dying expression.

"What are you staring at me like that for?" Indis whispered, turning to Mercer, whose eyes had been flicking between her and the burnt body on the ground before them. "I didn't do that," she said, pointing to it.

"Whatever you say. You're the one who walks around with fire in her hands. Come on, we need to keep going. Don't want to keep Karliah waiting."

She nodded, continuing along, leading them to a small room. "Mercer, look!" Indis whispered in excitement, pointing to the golden ship sitting on a pedestal in the corner of the room. "I bet its worth a lot of gold," she continued, reaching out for it, only to have her hands swatted away by the irritated Breton next to her.

"Do you see this oil on the floor and those lamps above? I'd bet anything that if you were to grab that ship, the lamp would drop, and this entire room would go up in flames," he said, turning back towards the hallway, pulling her along.

Indis turned back and stared at the ship, biting her lip as she calculated how much time she would have to make it off the edge of the platform before the lamp would make contact with the floor. After a few seconds of deliberation, she jerked loose from Mercer's grip and ran towards the ship, snatching it off its pedestal, performing a clumsy duck and roll off the platform, fire reaching out behind her. She landed hard on an empty draugr coffin below, cursing as pain shot up through her legs, struggling to regain balance. Once she was back on her feet, she jogged up the stairs in the room, retracing the path to the room where they had found the ship. Mercer was standing right outside the room, patting down a few smoldering patches on his armor, fixing her with a furious scowl.

"You moron! What was that? I swear, I don't even know where Brynjolf finds you people."

She ignored him, removing the golden ship from underneath her arm, inspecting it for damage. "Good, I'm glad you're alright."

"I am; which comes as a surprise, thanks to your stupid little stunt. I'm touched by your concern."

"I wasn't talking to you, Mercer."

* * *

Indis knelt down, inspecting the dead draugr that Mercer had cut down seconds ago, fingers deftly moving over its armor. She had learned early on that sometimes draugr had valuable items on them and it always paid to check.

"Ohh, look at this!" she called out to him, removing a necklace from around the dead draugr's neck "It's an Amulet of Mara. I guess even draugr need love, eh?"

He ignored her, still focused on the Nordic puzzle lock in front of him. "Quiet, I'm trying to concentrate. Must you talk so much?"

She leaned over his shoulder, trying to watch him work, but his body blocked most of the view. "How can you get that open? I thought you needed a claw to unlock it?"

"You usually do," he said, stepping back as the stone and iron of the door started to move. "I'm sure Karliah did away with it, though. Luckily, there's a weakness in these things that will allow you to open it, provided you know how to exploit it."

"Can you teach me?"

"Not now. Karliah's close, I know it. Keep your guard up," he said, drawing his blades.

She nodded, placing her hand on the hilt of Chillrend, stepping into the next chamber, stumbling back as an arrow made contact with her chest. Indis fell backwards, unable to move her limbs, unable to cry out as she crumpled to the ground, her vision becoming blurry.

Mercer continued forward, his blades still drawn, moving closer to the Dunmer woman at the opposite end.

"Oh, Karliah…Karliah. Do you truly think that arrow of yours will reach me before my blade finds your heart?" he called out to her, his tone venomous.

"Give me a reason to try, Mercer," she hissed, hands clenched on her bow.

"You are so very, very clever, you know that? Buying Goldenglow and funding Honningbrew. Truly inspired, trying to destroy the Guild's relationship with Maven Black-Briar."

"To ensure and enemy's defeat, you must first undermine his allies. It was the first lesson Gallus taught us, don't you remember?"

He laughed, a barking sound that echoed throughout the Sanctum. "You always were a quick study."

"Obviously not quick enough…otherwise…otherwise Gallus would still be here. He would still be alive," she retorted, the pain in her voice obvious.

"Gallus had his wealth, and he had you. All he had to do was turn a blind eye, to just look the other way, to leave me to my own devices. Why couldn't he just do that?"

"Have you forgotten the Oath we took when we became Nightingales?! Did you honestly think he would ignore what you were doing?!"

"Enough!" he bellowed, flourishing his blades. "Come on, Karliah! It's time for you and Gallus to become reunited!"

"I'm not a fool, Mercer," Karliah said, stepping back and sheathing her weapon as she downed an invisibility potion. "Crossing blades with you would be a certain death sentence…but I can promise that the next time we meet, it will be your undoing."

Mercer stayed in the same position for several moments, hawk-like eyes scanning the empty chamber, waiting to see if Karliah would reappear. Indis watched as he turned towards her, his swords still drawn as he knelt down next to her.

"Now you know the truth," he said, unnerved by her furious, betrayed glare. "You really should have gone back to Riften when I told you to," Mercer continued, standing up over her. "It's unfortunate that this is how our relationship has to end. You would have been a useful ally."

He paused a few seconds, staring down at her, before plunging his blade deep into her chest. Indis felt nothing, no pain, thanks to whatever had been on Karliah's arrow. She watched her blood pool around her as Mercer walked away, his footsteps echoing throughout the chamber, unable to feel the tears streaming down her face.

* * *

Mercer slid into a chair in the Ragged Flagon, motioning for Vekel the Man to bring him a bottle of mead before turning to the redheaded Nord next to him.

"Where's Indis?" was the first thing out of Brynjolf's mouth, his face filled with concern. "Did something happen to the lass?"

"The conniving bitch was working for Karliah the whole time," Mercer lied, hoping that nothing in his voice would betray him. "They were hoping to leave me to rot in Snow Veil Sanctum. Karliah managed to slip away and escape, but Indis didn't. She's dead."

Brynjolf sighed, running his hands down his face. "Mercer, you can't be serious! She was working for Karliah?"

"Think about it," Mercer continued, using the words he had been carefully rehearsing the entire trip back to Riften. "You think you're going to stumble across someone as good as she was on the streets like you did? It was all part of Karliah's plan."

"I suppose," Brynjolf said, taking a swig of mead. "It is unfortunate. I can say I honestly didn't see this coming. Mercer, want me to take care of the letters of inheritance? She only had a few people she willed money to. I know she betrayed the Guild…but even so."

"I can do them," Mercer grumbled, the tiniest, niggling sensation of guilt forming in his gut. "After that, I'm going to find Karliah. I'll need you to stay here, just in case she tries to come here."

* * *

Balimund inspected the letter, trying to wipe away some of the grime that had smeared on it. After reading it, one last time, he tossed it in the fires of his forge, deciding to close early for the day.

"Always did tell her the Guild was nothin' but trouble," he muttered sadly, pushing the door to the Scorched Hammer open. "I wish she would've listened."

* * *

Teldryn Sero removed his chitin helmet, setting it down on the table he was currently occupying in the New Gnisis Cornerclub, trying to purge unpleasant memories of his time in the Grey Quarter from his mind. He had received an urgent summons from Serana, demanding he meet her in Winterhold as soon as he possibly could, and he was currently in the middle of his journey to the northern city.

He fiddled with the letter the courier had given him as soon as he arrived in Windhelm, brushing aside the bag of gold that had come along with it. Breaking open the seal, he frowned as he quickly read the contents, sighing afterwards as he set the small square of paper down on the table.

"Here's to you, outlander," he said grimly, popping open a bottle of Sujamma, pouring himself a drink in his friend's memory.

* * *

"The Stormcloaks are finding victory across the land," Ralof continued earnestly, excitedly as he spoke to his sister Gerdur. He had taken a few days of leave, and had chosen to spend time with his family back in Riverwood. "I think Jarl Ulfric is preparing to take Whiterun soon. It'll serve that milk-drinker Balgruuf right, that's what I say."

"Oh, for the love of Mara," Gerdur scolded him, pushing the lever on the mill forward, speaking louder in order to heard over the sound of logs being cut. "Balgruuf is a good man. Say, who is that?" she said, stopping to point to a courier jogging towards them.

"Not sure," Ralof said with a shrug, watching the man run up to them.

"Is there a Ralof here? I was told that this was where I could find you," the courier gasped, fumbling around in his satchel.

"Aye, that's me."

"Here you go," the man said, dropping a letter and a large sack of gold in Ralof's hands. "A letter and a lot of gold. Sorry about your loss."

"Loss?" Gerdur whispered, stepping forward curiously. "Brother, what does it say?"

He had flipped open the letter and had already finished reading it by the time Gerdur had asked her question. The letter slipped out of his shaking hands, slowly fluttering to the ground as he fell to his knees, sobs beginning to wrack his body.

* * *

It had been two days since the Jarl of Whiterun had received a mysterious letter with a large amount of gold. Immediately after reading the letter, he had crumpled the paper up, jammed it in his pocket, and had demanded to be left alone as he stormed upstairs to his quarters. He hadn't told Irileth or Proventus what the contents of the letter were, only sulking about silently in a foul mood, snapping at those who tried to interact with him.

It was early in the morning, and Balgruuf was still asleep, unaware of his steward and housecarl crouched outside of his bedroom door.

"You go get it!"

"No! You do it! It was your idea!"

Irileth scowled at the balding Imperial, before twisting the doorknob to the Jarl's bedroom open, silently tiptoeing over to his bedside, scurrying back to Proventus after she had snatched up the letter.

"Well, what does it say? Who died?" he whispered, eyes flicking back to the Jarl, praying to the Divines that the man wouldn't wake up.

"Ohhh," Irileth moaned, sucking in air through her teeth before passing the letter to the steward.

He read the note quickly, his face falling. "She's dead? Well, that certainly explains why he's been so unhappy and unpleasant…"

* * *

**And then Indis died, and everyone was super duper bummed out. THE END.**

**Just kidding! **

**She'll be back next chapter, feeling pretty crappy, but alive. And holy moly you guys...I think this story will be finished up in 10 chapters or less! Thanks so much for all the lovin' you've all given me. :)**


	33. Wanting

Indis was woken by the sound of wind whistling and the hide of a tent whipping back and forth in the blizzard outside. She opened her eyes; muscles struggling to pull open the heavy lids, only to find that her surroundings were blurry and fuzzy. After an attempt to sit up, she fell back down on the bedroll, exhausted by the effort it had taken to rise a few inches.

"Whoa, whoa, easy there," murmured a soft voice. "Mercer's blade did a good deal of damage to you, so you're still recovering. How do you feel?"

"I...I…" Indis started, her voice tired and hoarse, her eyes searching for the source of the very familiar voice. "Karliah? You…you shot me!"

"I did, but only because I couldn't get a clear shot at Mercer. That arrow was tipped with a special paralytic poison that took me over a year to develop and perfect. Actually, my arrow saved your life."

"What?" Indis groaned. "How did shooting me save my life?"

"The paralytic poison, combined with your, hmm…lack of heartbeat, shall we say, kept you from bleeding out. Luckily, your friends here helped me get you back to my tent. Since you're a vampire, the healing spells I used on you did work, but thank goodness there are powerful healing potions that will get the job done. Unfortunately, there's quite a large scar remaining…" Karliah trailed off, gesturing to Indis' chest.

Indis lifted her head just enough to peek under the ragged shirt Karliah had changed her into, taking in the sight of the long, pink scar that went down from the top of her chest down into between her breasts. _So much for low-cut, revealing dresses_, she bitterly mused to herself before speaking. "Thank you for saving me, Karliah. You said…you said my friends were here?"

"Yes! Here they are," Karliah said, opening the flap of the tent, gesturing to people outside.

"I followed you after you left Windhelm," Serana admitted, kneeling next to Indis. "I don't know why, but I just had a bad feeling, so I tailed you here, but right before I left, I sent a message to Teldryn. I didn't know if I would need help."

"Glad to see that you're alive, outlander," Teldryn said, voice muffled by his godsawful helmet. "I got a very interesting and upsetting letter on my way here. I was happy to find out that it wasn't true."

"I'm…I'm glad that you're both here," Indis said smiling up at them, grateful to have such good companions. "Tel, you said you got a letter? May I see it?"

He fished it out of his pocket, handing her a crumpled piece of paper. She took it, eyes reading over the short, scrawled text, scowling once she had finished. "That son of a bitch," she hissed, trying to get up again, only to be pushed back down by Serana. "Karliah, he's sent out letters to people telling them that I'm dead, I need to…"

"No, absolutely not," Karliah said sternly. "I understand what's going on and how you're feeling, but we can't risk Mercer intercepting one. I'm guessing that he told the Guild that _you_ betrayed him, and if he gets wind that you're still alive, you're going to have a group of angry thieves hunting you down, likely ruining our only chance to stop him."

"Alright, alright," Indis murmured dejectedly, knowing that Karliah was right, briefly wondering how her friends would mourn her before continuing. "What do we need to do?"

"I found Gallus' journal. I need you to take it to Enthir in Winterhold and see if he can translate what it says. You're probably going to find him at the local inn. It won't be too difficult to find, there isn't much of Winterhold left ever since it collapsed into the sea. I'll meet you there, after I take care of a few things here. Gallus' remains need to be…they need to be…" she faltered, choking up slightly.

"Karliah? Are you alright? It seemed like you and Gallus were…close."

"I think so, and yes, we were. Are you alright? It seemed like you and Mercer were also quite close."

Indis glared at her, wishing she could just wither away and die in order to avoid Serana and Teldryn's curious stares, knowing that Karliah had seen the telltale marks all over her body when she was treating her wounds. "Where's this journal?"

* * *

"We are taking a carriage to our next location," Teldryn gasped, setting Indis down on a bench outside the Frozen Hearth Inn. "I refuse to carry you all the way back to Riften, even if you are injured. I don't understand why you couldn't wait until you could at least stand up."

"Because, we don't have time," Indis insisted, absentmindedly scratching at the aching, sore scar on her chest. "Also, I feel better now, so thank you. I think I can walk by myself now," she said, slowly standing up, accepting Serana's arm. "Let's go find this Enthir."

She stepped through the door that Teldryn was holding open, slowly making her way over to the bar, ever step sending dull pain shooting through her body. "Excuse me," she said, her voice still hoarse. "Where can I find a man named Enthir?"

"He's right over there," the barkeep replied, flicking a dishrag towards a Bosmer sitting in the corner. Indis nodded her thanks and headed towards the man, clearing her throat to grab his attention.

"Need something?" he asked, barely glancing up at her.

"Yes, Karliah sent me."

At these words, his head jerked up, and his eyes widened. "Karliah? Well, then. Please, follow me. We can talk somewhere more private," he said, beckoning for her to follow him down into the cellar of the inn. Indis followed, desperately wishing she could sit down again soon, pleased to see him offer her a chair.

"Now, what do you need? What did Karliah send you for?" he asked, sitting down to face her.

"She found Gallus' journal, and she needs to have it translated."

"She found it? Truly? Let me see it," he said reaching out, taking the small, worn journal from Indis' outstretched hand. He flipped it open, eyes flicking back and forth across the pages. After a few moments, he ran his free hand through his hair and sighed. "Unfortunately, I can't translate this. Gallus wrote it in the ancient Falmer language, which is something that I'm not familiar with."

Indis furrowed her brow, accepting the journal that Enthir handed back to her. "Is there anyone who can?"

"Well, yes, there is someone would be able to translate this with no problem. Have you heard of Calcelmo in Markarth? No? Well, he's one of the foremost scholars on the Dwemer in all of Tamriel. I've heard that he's been working on a comprehensive translation of the entire Falmer language. You'll need to get it from him. Just a warning, though. He's very protective of his research, and he's not going to give it up willingly. How you get it is entirely up to you. Once you have it, you can bring the guide and the journal back to me. Good luck."

She slowly stood up, thanking him for his help, before making her way upstairs back to Teldryn and Serana. "Well, it looks like I need to go to Markarth to find the man who can translate this journal," she said, leaning against the wall near their table.

"Markarth? That's on the opposite side of the whole damn province," Teldryn said, looking up at her.

"It is. Know where I can get a carriage around here? I don't exactly feel like walking."

"We're coming with you," Serana said sternly, crossing her arms. "You're really in no condition to do anything alone right now."

"Alright, alright," Indis agreed, knowing that Serana was right. She could barely get up off a bench by herself at the moment, so doing something more strenuous, like fighting, wasn't exactly an option. "Mind if we stop in Whiterun on the way there?"

* * *

Jarl Balgruuf slowly trudged up the steps to his chambers, giving a silent nod to the guards stationed outside the doors. He was exhausted, wanting nothing more than to fall into bed and pass out, hoping that he would be able to fall asleep immediately, and wouldn't lie awake with his thoughts. He had placed his hand on the doorknob to his bedroom, ready to twist it open, when he was snapped out of his stupor by a voice behind him.

"Why do you have so many empty mead bottles in your bed? It's disgusting."

He turned, unable to believe the sight before him. Indis was leaning against his private dining table with her arms crossed, eyes focused on him. He stared at her for a few moments, wondering if he was delusional from his lack of sleep, or if he was being haunted by a sassy, mouthy specter.

"I know I have no room to talk," she continued, adjusting her tunic. "Given that I drink…well, you know, but at least I don't leave the remnants of my meal lying around where I sleep."

"You're…you're alive," he said incredulously, still frozen in place, still unable to believe she was actually here, actually alive.

"I am. I thought you might have gotten a letter informing you of my demise and I thought it would be rude of me to pass through Whiterun without letting you know that I'm most certainly still alive. I'm…I'm sure it didn't cause you too much grief, though."

He closed the distance between them, pinning her between him and the table. He placed his hands on the table on each side of her and leaned forward, his face just mere inches away from hers. "It most certainly caused me a great deal of grief. I thought I had lost…I thought you were dead," he whispered lamely. "What happened?"

She kept her orange-red eyes focused on his blue ones, pulling the top of her tunic open slightly, revealing a long, thick pink scar on her chest. "I was betrayed by someone I thought I could trust, the man who sent you the letter, actually. He stabbed me and left me to die in Snow Veil Sanctum after I learned an unpleasant truth about him. Luckily, I was saved."

"Ysmir's beard, Indis," he said, unconsciously reaching out to trace the scar with one finger. "How are you still even here?"

"I'm just lucky, I suppose," she replied with a small smile, reaching up to grab his wrist, startled when she felt the pulse quicken. She looked up, inspecting him, surprised by what she saw. She could swear that he started to lean closer to her, but before she could find out for sure, they were interrupted by a loud knock as Proventus announced himself.

"My Jarl, I need to…" he trailed off, surprised to see her standing there. "Ahh, good to see you here, milady! I trust you'll be staying here in Dragonsreach? You look quite exhausted. If you want to follow me, I can show you to the baths, and then to your room," he continued, offering her an arm, ignoring the Jarl's furious glare.

* * *

Indis slipped into the warm bathwater, scrubbing away all of the filth of travelling, watching as the bar of soap and the water around her turned a dark, murky grey color. She ducked underwater, floating there momentarily before resurfacing and taking the soap to her greasy, sweaty locks. Leaning back against the edge of the stone edge of the bath, she closed her eyes to relax for a few moments, grateful that Proventus had offered her lodging in Dragonsreach.

Rinsing the remaining soap off of her body, she climbed out of the bath, her dripping body leaving a wet trail behind her as she made her way over to the bench where her clothes were. Drying herself off, she inspected herself in the nearby mirror, taking in her small form. She gently ran a hand over the tiny puckered scar from Goldenglow before moving onto the large, fresh one that Mercer had left behind. Upon further inspection, she was pleased to find that the passionate marks Mercer had left behind had faded to almost nothing, most likely helped by the numerous healing potions Karliah had given her. Sighing, she examined her body further, focusing on her less than ample breasts. She gave one of the tiny mounds a poke, and then exhaled heavily.

"It is what it is," she said, giving a shrug as she pulled on her tunic.

* * *

He heard Indis speak, saw her mouth forming words, but he was having the hardest damned time actually comprehending what she was saying to him because at the moment, Jarl Balgruuf was very, very distracted.

Indis was leaning forward across his desk, pointing to something on the map that seemed incredibly insignificant to him at the moment, and the thin, sheer wrap tunic she was wearing at the moment had fallen open slightly, giving him enough of a view down it to realize that she wasn't wearing any smallclothes underneath.

This was just enough to threaten his resolve, and he raised a large, tightly balled-up fist to his mouth, biting down hard on one knuckle, averting his eyes downwards, hoping she hadn't noticed him leering at her lest she think him a lecherous old man.

"Were you listening?" she asked, looking at him curiously. She raised her arms and crossed them across her chest, pulling the fabric down taut, giving him an excellent view of the large, hardened buds underneath.

"Unngh," was all he could muster, running a hand down over his face, using every last ounce of his willpower to not storm over to the other side of the desk and take her right there.

"I was just saying that I was going to go to bed now. I'm exhausted," she continued, appearing to be frustrated and annoyed. Perhaps he should have paid more attention to what she was saying. "We can speak more tomorrow, my Jarl. Unless…you need me for anything else tonight?"

_Yes, yes I do_, he thought to himself, but instead of voicing his desires, he shook his head. "No, that's fine. Good evening."

"Very well then," she replied, her voice taking on an odd tone as she walked away. After entering her room, she slammed the door loudly behind her.

Balgruuf sighed loudly, tugging at his beard, feeling incredibly frustrated with himself. "Fuck me," he groaned, slumping back down into his chair.

* * *

After punching a pillow as hard as she could several times in a row, Indis flopped down on the massive bed in her room and let out a lengthy, melodramatic sigh. She had gone to meet him wearing nothing underneath her thin, practically sheer clothes; she had leaned down over his desk a great deal more often than she needed to in order to give him a decent view of what was underneath, and had practically offered herself up to him, but Balgruuf had only replied in the shortest, most odd phrases, staring at her like she was a two-headed horker the entire time. She had been one step away from shoving his head into her bosom when she had decided to give up and go to bed.

"Perhaps I was mistaken," she gloomily mused out loud, thinking back to when he had found her leaning against his private dining table, to the way he had stood so close to her, leaning closer, to the way his pulse quickened, his face became flushed, and the way the pupils of his eyes dilated as he leaned in closer…

Indis groaned as she buried herself underneath all of the quilts and blankets, wrapping herself in a warm cocoon of sadness and frustration. She slipped a small hand between her legs, hoping to alleviate some of the built-up tension, having no idea that the Jarl next door was attempting to sate himself in the same way.

* * *

**Just a tiny little filler chapter! You guys wanted some more Balgruuf/Indis, so there you go! Ending that there with lots of unresolved sexual tension. Think they'll hook it up next chapter? What do you want 'em to do? She's going to be leaving for Markarth next chapter, and who knows when she'll be in Whiterun next... ;)**


	34. Celebration and Flirtation

Indis yanked her boots on, jumping slightly when a loud boom of thunder echoed throughout Dragonsreach, trying to ignore the thud of rain against the roof and windows. She had changed into her Thieves Guild armor, hoping it would offer her more protection from the elements once they began travelling. Grabbing her knapsack, she hoisted it over her back, hoping to creep out of the keep unnoticed.

"Leaving so soon?"

She turned slowly to face Balgruuf, who was sitting at his private dining table, nonchalantly chewing on a piece of pie. "Yes," she said, straightening up. "I told you last night I was leaving early for Markarth. I guess you weren't listening," Indis continued, trying to scowl at him as fiercely as she could.

"Forgive me," he replied with a shrug. "I was distracted. But…you can't be serious about going anywhere in this weather?"

Indis opened her mouth to tell him that she most certainly would be leaving, but was interrupted by a loud crack of lightning. "I suppose not," she said, hoping that being set back a few days wouldn't be too problematic.

"I wanted to talk to you about something, actually," Balgruuf said, setting down his fork, hoping that his plan to get her to stay in Whiterun a little longer would work. "In honor of all that you've done for my hold, I'd like to make you a Thane of Whiterun."

* * *

"Thane," she muttered out loud to herself, head still spinning after what Balgruuf had told her.

"Yes, you're a Thane of the hold now," said the woman behind her. Indis turned to face Lydia, the housecarl that Balgruuf had granted her in addition to the title, a very gorgeous enchanted Dwarven axe, and permission to purchase property in the city. She had worked out a deal with his steward to purchase Breezehome, a residence in the Plains District, promising him that the gold would be delivered in a few days' time.

"It's just surprising," Indis continued with a shrug, pulling up her hood to avoid the rain, heading down the stairs of Dragonsreach, eager to share the news with Teldryn and Serana.

"Not really," Lydia replied. "What's more surprising is the big celebration he's throwing in honor of your new title. I don't think he's done that for anyone else."

* * *

Proventus hadn't been lying when he had told her that Breezehome would be fully furnished in a few hours. Indis stepped through the doorway, making her way past the fire pit towards the small kitchen, peering into the small room in the corner, pleased to see that it had been made into a children's bedroom. She continued upstairs, passing by Lydia's small bedroom, sitting down on the large bed in her room. Breezehome wasn't large by any means, but it certainly was cozy and…it was much, much closer to Dragonsreach than Lakeview Manor.

* * *

Even during her time amongst the upper echelons of society in Bravil, Indis had never really cared for balls or galas, or other wealthy, extravagant events where nobles and the higher ups in society rubbed elbows with each other and kissed the arses of their betters. She found that she disliked this garbage even more when she was surrounded by tall, ample, gorgeous Nordic females, and she was reminded of how very small, unimpressive, and different she was compared to most others in Skyrim. She sighed, feeling slightly hurt that the Jarl hadn't even spoken to her all evening, despite his assertion that this was all in honor of her being made Thane of the hold.

Currently, she was sitting at one of the large, long tables in the main hall of Dragonsreach, repeatedly jabbing a fork into the wood of the table, trying to not stare jealously at the handsome Jarl surrounded by a throng of giggling, beautiful, busty, Nord women as she ignored the obnoxious man next to her. Heimskr was railing on about Talos, and had been for the past half hour, ever since he discovered she didn't worship Talos.

Indis stopped stabbing the table in frustration, her eyes narrowing as she turned towards him. "Heimskr, if you don't shut the fuck up right now, I will stab you in the eye with this fork. I swear by the _eight_ Divines that I will do it and I will enjoy it."

The man fell silent, scowling as he stood up and walked away. Fidgeting with the high collar of her dress, she pushed her chair back and made her way through the crowd, hoping to find solitude on the back porch of Dragonsreach. She stepped outside, enjoying the cool, fresh night air, making her way across the great porch, finally settling against the furthest wall. Indis peered upwards, gazing at the bright, beautiful aurora dancing across the night sky, but was quickly broken out of her star-gazing trance by a voice behind her.

"Enjoying yourself?"

"No," she admitted with a sigh. "I never liked this kind of thing."

Balgruuf laughed, leaning against the wall next to her. "Unfortunately, these kinds of events are necessary for people in power. I was wondering if you were ever going to come over and see me."

She gave a small shrug. "You looked…busy."

"Ahh, they're just another unfortunate part of these proceedings."

Indis looked back up to the aurora, giving a small snort. "That's the first time I've ever heard a man describe being surrounded by beautiful women as 'unfortunate'. I think you might have had too much spiced wine."

"Pah," he scoffed, inching closer to her. "The most beautiful thing is out here."

"It is, isn't it? I had never seen an aurora until I came to Skyrim, and some nights, I find myself watching them for hours," she said, propping her chin up on a fist, eyes focused on the night sky.

"I wasn't talking about that," Balgruuf whispered, leaning in closer to her, placing one of his hands on hers.

Indis felt the same stomach fluttering that she always felt around him intensify, and she turned her head slightly, just enough so that she could meet his eyes, uncertain of how she should reply. "Were you talking about Proventus? He _is_ a beautiful man, despite the lack of hair," she whispered, her face as deadpan and serious as she could possibly make it.

Balgruuf laughed quietly, lowering his head towards hers, his lips ghosting across her ear. "I think you know who I'm talking about." He placed one hand on the small of her back, gently pulling her towards him as he placed his other hand underneath her chin, tilting it upwards. Balgruuf was leaning down towards her, aided in part by her hands tugging his tunic, and their lips were so close to meeting when they were interrupted by a loud, female voice coming towards them. Indis and Balgruuf broke apart, both turning to glare at the source of the interruption.

"Jarl Balgruuf!" a blonde woman called out, practically jogging towards them, her breasts bouncing up and down with every step, threatening to burst free of her revealing gown. "I was missing you! I had wondered where you had gotten to," the woman purred, ignoring Indis as she gripped the Balgruuf's arm with what appeared to be astounding strength. "Come back in and dance with me some more," she continued, sticking her full lower lip out in a pout. "Then…perhaps we can go upstairs, just us?" the woman said, her voice going low and husky.

"It seems you're needed elsewhere. Good evening, my Jarl," Indis said, smiling wanly as she gave a terse nod before walking away, ready to get the blazes out of Dragonsreach.

* * *

Stomping through the doorway and slamming the door behind her, she kicked at a chair by the fire pit of Breezehome, cursing as she gave it another kick before slumping into a chair by the small fire pit, jumping when she heard Lydia speak. "Lydia…what? I didn't even realize you were there," she mumbled, blinking back tears, hoping the housecarl hadn't seen her minor conniption fit.

"You seem upset, my Thane. You also seem…tired. Would you like me to draw you a bath?"

"Yes, that would be delightful, thank you."

* * *

Indis stayed in the bath for hours, her fingers and toes wrinkling, the water becoming cold and stagnant around her. She was grateful at the moment that she had left the fork she had threatened Heimskr with when she went out onto the porch, because if it had been on her person when that harlot interrupted them, she might have just plunged it into the woman's perfect and magnificent bosom. Indis couldn't help but think of the way the woman clutched at Balgruuf, pressing her body up against him, and how she would probably be sharing his bed with him tonight. She sunk down further into the bath, so that only her face was above the water, ignoring the knock at the door while she wished she could wither away and die.

"My Thane? Is…is everything alright? You've been in there for quite a while," Lydia asked, her concerned voice barely heard through the wood of the door.

"No, Lydia, it is _not_ alright," Indis replied, letting out a choking sob.

Lydia cautiously opened the door, and was surprised when she was met with the sight of her naked Thane sunken down in tepid, dirty bathwater sobbing uncontrollably. Taking a deep breath, Lydia stepped inside. It hadn't even been a full day, and their relationship was already off to a very interesting start. "What's wrong?" Lydia said, sitting down on the small stool nearby.

"He's going to fuck her, I just know it," Indis sobbed, crying even harder now that she had gotten soap in her eyes. "Ouch, oh, that hurts…it stings…" she trailed off, rubbing furiously at her burning eyes.

Lydia sat there, silent watching her Thane sniffle and fruitlessly attempt to wash soap out of her eyes with dirty water. "You know what makes me feel better when I'm upset?" Lydia said, trying to sound cheerful.

"Wha…what's that?" Indis said, looking up at her with watery, bleary eyes that were now even more red than usual.

"Mead. Lots and lots of mead."

* * *

**FRUSTRATIONS! Think Indis is gonna do something she regrets? Just another filler chapter while I work on the adventurous time Indis is having trying to catch up with Mercer. Poor Lydia...she has no idea what she's going to have to deal with.**


	35. Teachings of Dibella

_Lydia led her still sniffling Thane inside the Bannered Mare, guiding her towards an unoccupied table in the corner. "I'll be right back," she said, helping Indis sit down before heading towards the bustling counter. "Hulda serves the best mead here; it'll raise your spirits in no time. At the end of tonight, you'll feel better, I promise."_

_Indis slumped down in her chair and pulled her hood over her face, making no attempt to disguise the fact that she was pouting like a petulant child. _

"'_ey there," slurred a gravelly voice nearby. "Why ya lookin' so sad?"_

"_Leave me alone," she muttered, scrunching her face up in a scowl for the robed Breton who was trying to engage her in a conversation. "Go bother someone else."_

"_Oh, now that's no mood to be in! I know what would cheer you up…how 'bout a friendly little drinkin' contest?"_

"_Pfft," she said, pulling back her hood. "I bet I could drink you under the table, look at how little you are," Indis continued, scowling at his tiny form, choosing to ignore the fact that she wasn't the heftiest of people either. "What do I get if I win?"_

"_Hmm, well…if you win, you get my staff," he said, pouring himself a drink._

"_A staff? Are you…are you talking about your cock?"_

"_What? No. Unless you want me to be, sweetheart. What do ya say? Are you in or are you out?"_

"_Sure, why not," she said with a shrug, figuring that this night couldn't possibly get any worse. "Say, what's your name?"_

"_The name is Sam. Sam Guevenne."_

* * *

"Wake up! Wake up you drunken blasphemer!" screeched an unhappy female voice, nudging Indis a lot harder than was probably necessary.

Indis rolled over, stiff limbs aching from her hungover slumber on a hard stone floor. She tried to block out the screeching and nagging that was only exacerbating the throbbing in her head, finally sitting up after a few seconds. Blinking as she surveyed her surroundings, she realized that she had no idea in Oblivion where she was.

"What…where…where am I?" she mumbled, finally looking up at a very irate priestess.

"You're in the Temple of Dibella, in Markarth," the woman replied, still incredibly annoyed. "Do you seriously not remember anything?"

"No…I don't, otherwise I wouldn't be asking," Indis snapped, irritated by all of this chatter.

"Well, I'll tell you what. Clean up this mess you made last night when you stormed in here and trashed the place, and then we can talk," the woman said, taking a seat by a large pillar, chewing on a piece of bread as she watched Indis stumble to her feet and set to work cleaning up the temple.

Indis blundered around the temple, picking up empty wine bottles, some Hagraven feathers, a giant's toe, and finally a scrap of paper which appeared to be some kind of ingredients list. With arms full of random garbage and junk, she made her way back over to the priestess, standing in front of her, waiting to be acknowledged.

"I'm done," she said finally. "And…I'm sorry for trashing your temple."

"Good, so you are," the woman said, looking up at her with a smile. "Oh, don't glare at me like that. Now that you've cleaned the place up, all is forgiven. Now, what did you need to know?"

"I need to know how I got here," Indis replied, realizing that she must sound like an absolutely awful drunken lout. "I…I don't remember how I got here. I don't even remember how I got to Markarth," she mumbled, feeling incredibly embarrassed as she sat down on the floor next to the priestess, adjusting the junk in her arms.

"You said something about a man named Sam, and how you needed to meet him in Rorikstead. That's really all I could make out from what you were saying. That's all I know. The rest was just gibberish. You know, you're quite pretty, even if you are a bit of a mean drunk. Are you familiar with the teachings of Dibella?"

"What?" Indis said, rubbing her head again, wondering why the priestess kept talking. "No, I'm…I'm not. Can't say I know too much."

* * *

Indis lay in the small bed, sweat covering her bare body, still trying to process what had just happened.

"You're being awfully quiet," Senna said, running her fingertips delicately over Indis' stomach, leaning over to kiss her neck. Senna was the priestess that demanded Indis clean up her mess in the temple, and after the Imperial had completed the task at hand, the Breton had offered her instruction on the teachings of Dibella. What had begun as simple verbal lessons quickly moved onto something a great deal more hands on, and their lessons culminated in the most carnal of ways.

"I've just never done that before."

"Never done what?" Senna asked curiously, tossing her white-blonde hair over a shoulder.

"Been with another woman."

"You sound like you regret it."

"I don't, honestly," Indis insisted, looking down at the naked Breton woman lying next to her. She hadn't ever considered being with another woman, but now that she had done it, she found it to be quite enjoyable and it had helped distract her from thinking about Balgruuf being with another woman. It didn't hurt that Senna was absolutely gorgeous, with bright almond-shaped eyes, long hair so light it was practically white, delicate plum designs painted on her face and bronze skin the color of burnt umber. "I enjoyed myself, truly. No regrets," she repeated, surprised to find that she was being completely honest.

"I'm glad," Senna murmured, pulling Indis closer as she kissed her, starting at her mouth before working her way down to her freckled chest, causing Indis to gasp when her tongue flicked out at more sensitive spots. "How long will you be in Markarth?"

"Most likely just a day or so. I'll have to be head back to Riften as soon as I'm finished here."

"That's a shame. I've decided that I like spending time with you. Have time for a little more right now?"

* * *

After promising Senna that she would stop by the temple and see her before she left Markarth, Indis made her way down towards the Silver Blood Inn, hoping she could find someone who could direct her to wherever this Calcelmo might be. She pushed the doors open, surprised at how busy the tavern was. She took a chair at the counter, shaking her head when the barmaid offered her ale or mead. She had decided to forgo alcohol for a while.

"Oh, hello there!" said a robed Altmer next to her, turning to her with a smile. "I haven't seen you around here before. Are you new to Markarth?"

"I am," she said, inspecting the man next to her, trying to think of a valid excuse as to why she would be visiting the city. "Just here to visit the Temple of Dibella," she continued, deciding to stick with that lie.

"The temple, hmm? I wish I had time to visit the women in the temple," he sighed, scratching at the stubble on his chin. "But my uncle keeps me working all the time, every waking moment. I know it'll all be worth it one day. He's only the best scholar on the Dwemer, and he has the most fantastic laboratory. I'm grateful that he allows me to study with him."

"The Dwemer?" Indis asked, ears perking up at the mention. "Is your uncle Calcelmo, by any chance?"

"He is!" the man replied enthusiastically. "Do you know him?"

"Do I?" she lied, trying her best to look as interested and excited as she possibly could, pulling to mind some of the flirting tricks that Senna had taught her. "I've followed his work for so long! The Dwemer are so fascinating," she sighed, placing a hand on his arm. "I envy the opportunity that you have. I would love to see his work."

"Well…uhh, if you'd like, I could show you," he said, nervously staring at her hand, which had moved from his arm to his thigh. "I have a key to the laboratory. I have some of my work in there, but the most fascinating work he's done is on the Falmer language. He's working on a translation guide, the first of its kind. If you're interested in Dwemer history, I know you'd love it."

"That would be wonderful!" she exclaimed, leaning forward. "You know, you never told me your name."

"Ai-Aicantar. My name is Aicantar," he replied, voice cracking as her palm slid up his thigh.

"Well, Aicantar. Pleasure to meet you. I would be _so_ grateful if you showed me your uncle's work," Indis said with a smile, hardly able to believe her good fortune.

* * *

**Thanks to Senna (thank you harronhermy for the idea!) and Sam, for helping Indis take her mind off of Jarl Ballin'! Next up, is a journey through Calcelmo's lab and meetings with more daedra. Oh, and everyone in Whiterun is going to be trying to figure out where the hell Indis has gotten to. Fun, fun times.**


	36. Going Back Down That Road

"That is incredibly fascinating!" Indis said, taking the Dwemer cog from Aicantar's hands, trying her hardest to stifle a yawn while maintaining her outward aura of enthusiasm. He had excitedly taken her to his uncle's museum straight from the Silver Blood Inn, thrilled by the prospect of showing off his research to Indis, who believed to a devout practitioner of the Dibellan arts. Currently, they were still in the museum, and Aicantar was showing her every single cog, lever, and hunk of Dwemer metal which to Indis, all looked exactly the same.

"It is, isn't it?" he replied, studying the piece in her hands. "The Dwemer were a truly remarkable race. I wonder if—"

"Aicantar, when are you going to show me your research? I want to see what you and your uncle have been working on," she whispered, trying to make her voice as husky as possible while she fluttered her eyelashes at him. _Easy there, Indis_, she told herself, hoping that she appeared eager, but not _too_ eager.

"Oh, oh! Of course," he replied, blushing slightly as he offered her his arm. They walked past the numerous guards milling about in the museum, making Indis thankful that she hadn't tried to sneak past them. They arrived at a set of large golden doors, and he pulled a key out of his robes and slid it into the lock, motioning for her to enter ahead of him once he had opened it.

"Here, look at this," he said, pulling her into a small room near the entrance, picking something up off of the stone table. "It's a Dwarven spider that I was able to reassemble. I can control it with this stave here. The guards hate it, and my uncle says I'm wasting my time," he finished with a sigh.

"Why do they hate it?" she asked, genuinely intrigued by the little spider in his hands. "If you ask me, it's a great improvement over those wretched frostbite spiders."

Aicantar laughed, gingerly placing the spider back on the table. "Well, it attacks anyone who is hostile to whoever holds the control rod. And, uhh, well…there have been more than a few times where I got angry at a guard, and then it tried to kill them."

Indis burst into laughter, amused by the sight of the massive, steel-clad guards she had seen frightened by the little gold spider.

He offered her his arm again, encouraged by her laughter, pulling her along further into his uncle's laboratory. "There's my bedroom," he said nervously, pointing towards a room in the corner. "I figured that uhh, well, uhhh…"

"Where is your uncle's research you were telling me about?" she urged, hoping he would lead her to it.

"Oh, right, I'll show you that first. It really is absolutely marvelous," he replied, leading her further. They passed by several more guards, only stopping a few times while he showed her a few Dwemer traps and how they worked. They exited out onto a balcony that overlooked all of Markarth, and Indis couldn't help but pause to briefly marvel at the sight below. "It's in here," Aicantar continued, pulling at her hand. He opened the door for her and they stepped inside, coming to a halt in front of what appeared to be a large stone tablet on a ledge. "If you follow me, we can get a closer look at it."

Indis followed him up through a set of stairs, through a messy room with charcoal and paper lying everywhere, finally arriving at the stone tablet. "This is it?" she asked, wanting to be absolutely certain before she proceeded with her plan.

"Yes, this is it. Here it is; the most comprehensive translation guide to the Falmer language. It's the only one in existence."

"I just wanted to thank you," she said quietly, stepping up behind him, readying the cloth with the potion poured on it.

"You're welcome, anything to…" he trailed off, slipping into unconsciousness mere seconds after she placed the soaked rag over his nose and mouth, struggling very little as he passed out. He slumped in her arms, and she awkwardly propped him up against the wall opposite the stone tablet. Back in Riften, she and Ingun Black-Briar had worked on a potion that would fully incapacitate a victim, but not kill them, and she had finally utilized their masterpiece. He would wake up in a few hours, and hopefully by that time, she would be long gone.

She stepped back with a sigh, inspecting his unconscious form. "It is a shame," she said to him, not expecting a response. "You really are quite sweet, and pretty handsome to boot. Maybe another time," Indis finished, setting off to find what she needed to make a copy of the translation guide.

* * *

Indis bounded down the steps outside of the keep, feeling incredibly pleased with herself. She had made a copy of the translation guide, and although she didn't even have to kill anyone to get it, she hoped that Aicantar wouldn't find himself in any kind of trouble. She headed towards the gates of the city, hoping that there was a carriage available for hire, when she was suddenly stopped by a man in mage's robes.

"Excuse me, miss. Have you seen anyone coming or going out of this house?"

"What? No, no I haven't. Why?"

"I'm a Vigilant of Stendarr, and my group believes that this house may have been used for Daedra worship. I was just about to head inside and investigate."

Indis looked up towards the house, inspecting it silently. It was quite simple, actually, bearing no physical differences from the other houses she had seen in Markarth but for some strange, inexplicable reason, she felt a draw to it, an irresistible pull. She _had_ to get inside that house. "Need any help looking?" she offered, hoping he accepted.

"Why, yes, actually. I was just about to head inside. My name is Tyranus, by the way."

"I'm Indis," she said, giving him a small nod. Indis stepped inside after the man, eyes adjusting to the dimmer light, looking around the house.

"Interesting," he mused, scratching his chin as he scanned the interior. "There's no wood rot on the furniture, the food on the table is fresh…someone has been here, and recently. Come on, let's go further," Tyranus said, motioning for her to follow him, coming to a sharp halt when a loud noise came from downstairs. "Hurry!"

Indis followed after him at a slow jog, and she met him at a closed door. He gave the doorknob a small jiggle, sighing when it didn't open. "Can you see if you could get this open?"

She nodded, pulling out a few lockpicks, ready to go to work when a voice that she had heard once before spoke inside her head.

"_I was wondering when you would find your way to me, little one. Do you remember me?"_

Indis stepped back, surprised to hear the deep, cold, harsh and incredibly intoxicating voice she had heard when Astrid took her to the abandoned shack.

"_He is weak. So, so weak. But you? You're strong, and you've grown even stronger since we last met. Crush him. Now."_

"Stendarr's mercy!" the Vigilant cried out as the walls and floors began to shake and blur around them, and objects on tables hovered and flew around. "This is no ordinary Daedra, we have to get help!"

"_Kill him. Crush his bones. Tear at his flesh. I trust that you will please me, little mortal."_

Tyranus was frantically trying to open the door, oblivious to the woman approaching him from behind with her sword drawn. "I'm sorry about this," she whispered, plunging Chillrend through his chest from behind, not meaning a word that she said. Indis withdrew her blade, watching him fall to the floor, gurgling and choking, looking up at her with betrayed eyes.

"_Yes, yes. Now, come further, mortal. Your reward is waiting for you further down."_

Indis wiped Chillrend off on the Vigilant's robes, sheathing it before continuing further down, and passing through the door that had once been locked. She passed through another doorway, ears met with the sound of a whistling wind, feet no longer walking on stone, but on hard earth. Making her way through the narrow, earthen passageway, she found herself standing in front of what appeared to be a small altar adorned with a large, rusted mace. Pausing in front of the altar, she reached out for the rusty weapon, wondering if this was supposed to be her reward, when the long, dark spikes of a trap closed around her. On the verge of panicking, she stepped back in the tiny space she had, shaking as she lowered herself to one knee, prostrating herself before the altar.

"_Fool! Did you think that Molag-Bal, the Lord of Domination would so easily reward you? You have not fully proven yourself to me yet. Tell me, what do you see from your little cage?"_

"I…I see a mace. It's rusted," she replied, hoping she sounded strong and assertive.

"_Yes, a mace that once dripped with the blood of the feeble and the worthless that were once sacrificed here at my altar. My mace was destroyed by my rival Boethiah, who had one of her pitiful minions desecrate my altar."_

"Do you want…revenge?" she asked curiously, looking up at the altar.

"_Revenge? Nothing so simple. I want Logrolf, the priest Boethiah sends to perform insulting rites to bend his knee, to give me his will. I want submission. However…he has been missing, he has not come to perform his rituals. He has been captured and bound in Druadach Redoubt, left to rot, left to die. You will go and save him. Let him come back here and perform his rites one last time, and when he does, you and I will be ready and waiting."_

* * *

Indis raised a hand to scan the horizon, trying to figure out where in the Reach she actually was. She set off further down the cobbled main road, pulling out the worn map she had, trying to figure out where she actually was in relation to Druadach Redoubt, turning the worn piece of paper all different directions, trying to see if that helped, and when it didn't, she lowered the map and let out a massive sigh. She looked up, catching sight of what appeared to be a Stormcloak soldier.

"Hey!" she called out, waving her arms about, flapping them like some kind of vampiric, map-holding giant bird. "Do you know the way to Druadach Redoubt? I'm lost."

The figure in the distance turned to stare at her, and Indis sighed again, leaning against a large boulder, turning her attention back to the map, assuming that the soldier had chosen to ignore her. Burying herself in studying the map, she hadn't even noticed the soldier's approaching footsteps, and was incredibly surprised when a sobbing, laughing man threw his arms around her body and pressed his mouth to hers, catching her in a searing kiss. The man pushed her against the boulder, his mouth refusing to leave hers as he pulled her closer, leaving her very, very confused.

"Indis…oh gods, Indis," he said, breaking the kiss to bury his face in her neck.

"Ra-Ralof?" she whispered.

He pulled back to look at her, his broad hands still firmly grasping her shoulders. "I'm…I'm sorry. I got carried away. I thought you were…"

"Dead? I've been getting that a lot lately."

"Aye, I did. I'm so glad you're not. You've no idea the pain it caused me, thinking that I'd lost you," Ralof said, removing his helmet with one hand and wiping away tears with the other.

"It did?"

"Of course. I still…I still love you," he said, removing the last of his tears. "That hasn't changed."

"Oh," she whispered, painfully aware of how close he was to her, of how much she had enjoyed his kiss, of how her hands had found their way to his chest. Pushing that aside and stepping back, she pulled herself together before speaking. "Do you know how to get to Druadach Redoubt?"

"Druadach Redoubt? Isn't that a Forsworn camp?" he asked, frowning when she nodded. "You're going alone? Where's that vampire friend of yours?"

"She's back in Whiterun. It's…it's a long story. Can you show me which direction to go?"

"I can. How about I go with you? Forsworn are dangerous to take on alone."

"You could do that? You could just leave like that?"

"I could. I'll just tell my commanding officer I'll be scouting the area, which I will be. I'll be right back, don't move, alright?" he said, leaning down to kiss her cheek before taking off, leaving the path they were on.

Indis slumped down against the boulder and waited for him to return, still reeling from the encounter. She pulled her crumpled map out again, staring at it for several minutes, not really processing what she was looking at.

"Ready to go?" Ralof called out, catching his breath as he rejoined her. She looked up, noticing that he had changed out of his Stormcloak cuirass into plain leather armor.

"You changed your armor," she said, awkwardly attempting to fold the map back up as she stuffed it inside of her satchel.

"I did. The Reach isn't Stormcloak territory, so I didn't think it'd be wise to wander around in my uniform. Might seem a bit suspicious if we encountered any Imperials."

"Fair enough," she replied, uncertain as to how the journey would go, wishing that she hadn't encountered him, kind of wishing that she was barging into a blood-soaked camp full of Daedra worshippers all by herself.

"Can we…can we talk?" he asked, coughing slightly to dispel the awkward silence that had fallen over the last few minutes.

"Sure," she said, stopping to pause on the stone bridge, staring out at the waterfall roaring below. "What's on your mind?"

"I…" he trailed off, taking a deep breath. "I want to start over, and…I know I've said this before, but I hope you'll listen to me. After I got that letter telling me that you had died, I…I lost it. I was a wreck, Indis. I even tried skooma, hoping it would numb things, even if only for a little while. I realized how horrible I had been to you, and how badly I fucked things up and that I would do anything, absolutely anything, to have another chance." Ralof stopped, watching her closely, taking her silence as a cue to continue. "That's what I want. I want another chance to regain your trust, and hopefully, your love. To start over as…as friends," he finished, the last word seeming to pain him.

She stared out over the river, watching the water rush by below, carefully considering his offer. Indis had expected to be furious, to be angry and irritated the next time she encountered Ralof, but had been surprised to feel old feelings resurface, pushing away any anger or resentment she might have felt towards him. "I don't see why we can't try to be friends," she said finally, trying to push Serana's scowling, disapproving face out of her mind, glad her friend wasn't there to chastise her for her decision.

* * *

Indis sighed as she stared down at the bound priest kneeling before her, wiping the blood off of her face. She was glad that Ralof had offered to come with her, since the Forsworn had proven that they were vicious fighters. Luckily, they had cleared out Druadach Redoubt of the Forsworn inside with minimal injury, gradually making their way over to the cage that held Logrolf.

"I'm here to rescue you," she said, moving down to cut his bindings, surprised when he jerked away.

"Oh? And who are you?" the elderly grouch spat at her, glaring upwards.

Indis leaned down to whisper in his ear, hoping the lie worked. "Boethiah sent me," she whispered urgently. "She said that you would know what needed to be done."

His eyes widened, and he looked up at her in shock. "The dark mistress? She sent you? Oh, but of course! Molag-Bal's altar. Cut my bindings loose, and I'll make haste to Markarth. I wouldn't want to let our mistress down."

He stood up after she had cut off his bindings, giving her one short nod before setting off towards the entrance. Indis was in no hurry to get back to Markarth, knowing full well that Molag-Bal would keep Logrolf there as long as necessary. She made her way over to the campfire that was still leftover from the Redoubt's Forsworn inhabitants, settling down by the fire before looking up at Ralof. "Want to just stay here for the night?"

* * *

"Do you ever think about it?" Indis asked quietly, staring into the campfire, watching the wood in the fire crackle and pop.

"Think about what?"

"Our…our baby," she said, trying to will away the tears that were threatening to spill over.

"I do. All the time," he admitted, sadly staring into the fire.

"I wish I hadn't…it-it's all my fault," she said with a small sob, furiously blinking away tears. "I'm the reason why our baby is dead."

"Shhh, shhh. It's not your fault. You didn't know," he whispered, moving over next to her, pulling her into his arms, letting her sob quietly into his chest. She buried herself in his shirt, missing their unborn child, wishing that…wishing that they could try again, not wanting to admit that she had realized she wanted the second chance as badly as he did, not wanting to tell him that there was a big piece of her that wanted to skip past the friends part. Slowly, she sat up, wiping the tears away, feeling incredibly sheepish all of a sudden.

"I'm…I'm sorry. I've just been thinking about it a lot lately."

"I have too, especially after that letter."

Indis leaned back against him, nervously fiddling with a buckle on her armor. "I think it would have been a girl," she finally admitted, reflecting on the dreams she had after finding out about their loss. They always involved her and Ralof happily living in Riverwood, away from war, away from the Guild, in a small cabin that they had built themselves on the outskirts of the town. There was always a little girl, a few years old with auburn hair, freckles, bright blue eyes, and Ralof's smile, clutching at their hands, beaming up at them. Sighing, she rejoined him in reality. "I think. I just…I just had a lot of dreams about it."

"So have I," he whispered, his arms tightening around her.

Indis leaned into Ralof, her thoughts going back and forth between the man she had almost had a child with and the jarl back in Whiterun. Ralof had seemed so genuinely distraught and upset when he told her about how her supposed death affected him, unlike Balgruuf, who appeared to be more surprised than distressed. Ralof, who was so open and blatant with his affections, not caring what others thought contrasted with the Jarl, who only seemed to express any interest when others weren't watching. She had been made a Thane, but that likely wasn't enough to counteract her involvement with the Guild and the Brotherhood. She unhappily told herself that she wasn't the kind of woman that Balgruuf would fall in love with and marry; she would likely be a mistress at best, if anything at all.

She didn't know if it was because she was feeling incredibly sad, emotional and vulnerable at the moment, or if she did still have feelings for her first love, or if she was trying to push the seemingly unattainable Balgruuf out of her mind, but without thinking about it, Indis found herself pulling Ralof's head down to meet hers, engaging him in a hungry kiss.

* * *

**INDIS, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? Know who she probably could use some guidance from? Sassy Gay Friend. What would he tell her? Ohhh, goodness. Fraternizing with Daedra, considering Ralof...heavens. What is she going to do next?**


	37. Playing Matchmaker

Balgruuf rubbed his temples, exhausted from trying to deal with the problems his newest Thane had caused after the celebration he had thrown for her. After she had abruptly left Dragonsreach, she had apparently gone to the Bannered Mare with her housecarl, gotten violently drunk with some strange Breton man named Sam, and had left a massive amount of damage in her chaotic wake before simply vanishing into thin air.

Ysolda had claimed that Indis owed her money for an engagement ring she had gotten for her fiancé, Danica said that the Imperial woman had vomited all over the newly restored Gildergreen before collapsing onto the tree in a fit of tears, and she had apparently pushed Heimskr into the moat at the front of Dragonsreach, laughing maniacally as she asked him if Talos would save him, something his children described as "absolutely wonderful."

"Lydia, are you _sure_ you have no idea where she went?" Balgruuf asked, voice thick with exasperation and fatigue.

"No, my Jarl. I…I haven't seen her since she, well, disappeared," Lydia said, utterly embarrassed that she had managed to lose her Thane in less than a day.

"If she comes back to Whiterun, notify me immediately. I want to know when she returns," he said sternly, hoping that she would show back up soon. He sighed and slumped down further in his throne, walking Lydia walk away, hoping that she found Indis soon. He wasn't so bothered by the damage Indis had caused; if he was being honest with himself, he was more upset by the possibility that she might be with someone else. He remembered her mentioning that she had once been engaged to someone, and his heart sank as he realized they might have reconciled. Was this Sam, the man she had left with, the fiancé that Ysolda had mentioned?

He slouched and shuffled all the way upstairs to his bedroom, only wishing for a nap before he tried to get back to doing more damage control. Sitting on the edge of his bed, he removed his gold circlet, laying it on his bedside table, kicking off his boots. Balgruuf lay down in his bed, shutting his eyes as he pulled the soft linen sheets around him. All of a sudden, he had the strange feeling that he was being watched. His eyes snapped open, and he was surprised to see all three of his children standing at the edge of his bed, watching him silently and intently.

_Ye gods, I need to have them work on their social skills. This is uncomfortable_, he mentally noted before speaking. "Is there…is there something you all need?" he said with a sigh, propping himself up on one arm, hoping that whatever this was, it would be quick.

The three looked at each other, and Nelkir finally spoke after a few seconds of silence. "Are you going to marry Thane Indis?"

"What? Where'd you hear that?"

"It's what Uncle Hrongar said you wanted to do because he said you love her. He said you also you wanted to make the beast with two backs with her," interjected Frothar, his eldest, looking at his father inquisitively. "What does that mean?"

Balgruuf gasped, sitting up on the edge of his bed to face them, making another mental note to tell his brother to mind what he said. "Your uncle said that to you?"

"Well, no," Nelkir admitted, looking down at the floor, scuffing the stone with his foot. "He told Proventus and Irileth, and I was listening."

"What did I tell you about eavesdropping on people? You shouldn't do it," Balgruuf said, scolding his youngest.

"So…was Uncle Hrongar telling the truth? Is she going to be our new mother?" Frother asked eagerly.

"I like her," Dagny said, interrupting Balgruuf before he could speak. "She likes her meat rare and bloody, just like me," his daughter said smiling, gnashing her teeth at the rest of them, pretending that she was eating, making odd chomping and growling sounds the entire time.

"So do I, especially after what she did to Heimskr," added Frothar. "He's awful and annoying. I hope she does it again."

"She knows the Whispering Lady just like me…not like any of you would understand," Nelkir stated with a haughty sniff as he crossed his arms.

"Well?" Dagny asked, and they all moved a little closer to him, eyes wide and expectant, waiting for him to reply. "Do you love her? Do you?"

He groaned, burying his head in his hands, knowing that they would continue to bother him until he gave them an answer, surprising himself when he replied honestly. "Yes. Yes, I do."

"So you're going to marry her then?"

"I don't know."

They all furrowed their brows, and looked at each other confused, before turning back to him. "Why not?"

"Could you all just…could you all just leave me be for a little while?" he said, growing more tired and exasperated. "We can talk about this later, alright?"

Frothar gave a small shrug, meeting the eyes of his siblings. After a few seconds, he walked away, Nelkir and Dagny trailing behind him. Balgruuf watched his children leave, lying back down with a large sigh, wondering why his children turned out to be so damn weird.

* * *

The three children said outside of Dragonsreach, basking in the sun as they formulated their plan. "He's never going to tell her, you know," Dagny said, picking a piece of tundra cotton before ripping it apart viciously. "Uncle said that maybe he will, once he grows a pair, whatever that means."

"A pair of what?" Nelkir asked absentmindedly as he wove lavender together into a crown, placing it on his head.

"I dunno, don't ask me, ask Uncle Hrongar. He's the one who said it," Dagny replied, irritated as she threw chunks of torn plant at her brother.

"Well, obviously he won't do it himself, so we're going to have to do something," Frothar said, interrupting their little spat. "I have a plan."

* * *

The three sat huddled around the small table in the basement of Dragonsreach, surreptitiously peeking over their shoulders to make sure no one was coming. They had taken one of their father's letters from the desk in his study, studying his handwriting as best they could, with Dagny clumsily attempting to replicate the script on the parchment after her brothers had decided she had the best penmanship.

"It looks all wrong!" she cried out, throwing down the quill in frustration, causing a few splatters of ink to splash across the paper. "Grrrrr, hmmmph!"

"It doesn't look _that_ bad," Nelkir insisted, leaning over her shoulder, inspecting her work. "Thane Indis has never seen father's writing, has she? How would she know that he didn't actually write it?"

"I guess you're right," Dagny said with a sigh. "Did I make it romantic enough?"

"Make it say that he wants to kiss her lots on her face and he wants to feed her baked potatoes by candlelight. That's romantic, isn't it? Right?" Frothar asked, nudging his sister.

"Do vampires eat baked potatoes?" Nelkir asked, scratching his head, honestly wondering what the answer was.

Dagny chewed thoughtfully on the end of the quill then shrugged. "I don't see why they wouldn't. I'll say that there will be lots and lots of blood on it. Do I really have to include the kissing part? I heard that when you kiss someone that you really, really like, you fall down, and you can't get up for an hour."

"Is that true? Well, include it anyway. It has to be romantic! She has to believe it!" Frothar insisted, jabbing a finger at the letter. "Are you almost done? How are we going to get the letter to her?"

"We can put it under the door in Breezehome, she's sure to get it that way. It's done!" Dagny said excitedly, wiping ink from her fingers off onto her dress, pleased with her work. "This will work, I know it."

* * *

**Just a tiny little in-between chapter. Someone had to get things going between Balgruuf and Indis, so why not his super weird kids? I always thought that Balgruuf's kids were really, really strange, and I wanted to include them more. They're probably something like the Belcher kids from Bob's Burgers. **


	38. Dances with Daedra

She pulled Ralof closer before pushing him down on the hard earth below and climbing on top of him, straddling his hips. Indis leaned down, her mouth finding his again, causing him to groan. Indis moved her lips down to his neck, noticing that a small silver chain with the engagement ring he had given her on it slipped out from underneath his armor, and it now lay on his neck in the open, glittering in the firelight.

"You kept it," Indis said, surprised that he still had it.

"Of course," he replied, watching her as she reached down, gently cupping it in one palm, rolling the worn, scratched ring around in her hand.

Indis' mouth found his again, her lips crashing against his, her tongue slipping in to meet his. She didn't break away from Ralof when her hands began frantically working at her armor, trying to undo the many buckles that adorned it. Finally they were all undone, and she tossed the top of her armor aside, leaving her chest bare. All of a sudden, Ralof pushed her off of him and scooted away.

"I'm sorry; I shouldn't have let it get that far. I should have stopped you," Ralof said sheepishly, averting his eyes from her chest.

Indis pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them in order to hide her naked torso, feeling simultaneously disappointed and grateful that he had stopped her. "It's…It's alright," she mumbled, her tone not matching her words. She grabbed her armor and pulled it back on, slowly buckling it back up. "I put my clothes back on. You can look at me now."

Ralof turned towards her, looking slightly relieved. "Thank you. Listen, it's not that I don't want you, because I do, very, very badly, but I just…I want to do this right. I screwed things up so badly last time, and I don't want to do that again. So, let's take it slow, alright?"

"Oh, that's fine. I understand. What do you want to do now?"

He shrugged, poking at the fire with a small stick. "We could just talk and catch up. Last time we saw each other, it uhh, it really didn't go so well. I made a damned fool of myself, acting like that."

"You didn't act like a fool," she lied, hoping he bought it.

"Pah, you're a terrible liar! You don't even sound convinced," he said with a laugh. "So? What have you been up to lately?"

"I…" Indis trailed off, trying to figure out exactly where she should start. "Alright, well, there's quite a bit, but let's see if I can give you the condensed version. Currently, I'm in the middle of hunting down my murderous, traitorous Guildmaster, but I've gotten a little sidetracked," she said, reflecting on her drunken escapades and her encounter with Molag-Bal.

"What? Why?"

"Well, it turns out he murdered the previous Guildmaster, he was robbing the Guild blind, and he tried to kill me, so…that's what I've been doing. Stupid fucking Mercer," she mumbled, flicking at a rock on the ground.

"Mercer? Mercer Frey? He's the one that sent the letter that…"

"Yes, that's the bastard. What about you? You're not in the Rift anymore?"

"No, not for now. I'll be here in the Reach for a while, helping watch the Imperials here. It certainly is beautiful here," Ralof said with a sigh. "But it's a dangerous place, that's for sure. One wrong step and you'll go tumbling down a rocky cliff. That's if the Forsworn don't get you first."

"I can't wait to get out of here, get this business over with, and get back to Aventus. I really shouldn't leave him for so long."

"Aventus?" Ralof asked curiously.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I should have mentioned it before. Aventus is my son. I adopted him."

After a few seconds of blank shock, Ralof's face broke into a huge smile. "You have a son? That's…that's great! I know you're a wonderful mother."

"Thank you, Ralof. I appreciate you saying that. I hope you can meet him soon."

"I'd like that," he said, still grinning as he attempted to stifle a yawn. "We should try and get some sleep. It sounds like we both have a lot to get back to tomorrow," he continued, setting up his bedroll a platonic distance away from hers.

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want me walk with you back to Markarth? The Reach seems to be crawling with Forsworn."

Indis shook her head. "No, it'll be fine. I didn't see any on the main road. You should probably get back to your camp."

"You're right, I probably should. Before you go, I wanted to ask you something," Ralof said, adjusting the warhammer on his back. "I wanted to know if I could, well…if I could write you."

"Of course you can," Indis said. "I'll write back, I promise. I'll see you around, alright?"

"Alright then," Ralof said, leaning down as though he was going to kiss her, stopping awkwardly midway through. "I'll write you, uhh, friend," he finished with a small smile, giving her a gentle, playful punch on her arm. "Stay safe. Goodbye Indis."

* * *

The journey back to Markarth had been incredibly calm and relaxing with no interruptions from Forsworn or wild beasts, who had decided to stay put largely due to a heavy rainstorm. At one point during her travels, she encountered a necromancer attempting to resurrect a couple of dead chickens, and she joined in, partaking in a friendly discussion on conjuration afterwards. All in all, it was a pleasant journey back to the hold's capital.

Once back inside the city, she gave a furtive glance over her shoulders before quickly slipping into the abandoned house, surprised to see that the body of Vigilant Tyranus had vanished from the place where she had left it. Indis wasted no time making her way back to the very bowels of the house, back to the altar, and was met with the sight of a very irate Logrolf trapped within the same cage she had once found herself in.

"Molag-Bal!" he bellowed, attempting to rattle the spikes of the trap. "Do you think that you can best Boethiah's faithful. This is a contest I have won many, many times before!" Logrolf called out, laughing.

"_Ah, that is true. But you see; now I have my own champion, and she just arrived."_

Logrolf turned slowly in the trap, his eyes widening when he saw Indis standing silently behind him, her arms crossed, a tiny smirk on her face. "What?! You! You said that…"

"That Boethiah sent me? That was a lie, obviously," she replied, striving to be heard over Molag-Bal's deep, pleased laughter.

"_Mortal, I give you my mace, in all of its rusted spitefulness. Crush Logrolf's bone, smite his spirit. I want you to dominate him. I want you to make him bend to me."_

Indis took the large, rusted mace from the altar, surprised by how light and easy to hold it was. Taking a deep breath, she raised the weapon, reminding herself that if she didn't please Molag-Bal, it might be her who would up in the little trap next. The spikes of the trap suddenly retracted, and Logrolf the Willful was out in the open, cowering before her. She swung the mace before he could rise to fight her, and the weapon made contact with his back, the sickening crunch of bone and the squelch of flesh being destroyed echoed through the chamber. Logrolf fell to his knees, gasping and gurgling as he vomited blood. Another swing and the mace met with his back once more, and he silently slumped to the ground, blood pooling around him.

"_Mortal bodies…so weak. Try again,"_ Molag-Bal said, raising Logrolf's beaten form so that she could make him submit again. Once he was fully revived, Indis repeated the process, surprised by how much the defenseless priest could handle.

"Enough, enough! Molag-Bal…I…I bend to you!" Logrolf gasped, clutching his sides.

"_You bend to me?"_

"Yes!"

"_You pledge your soul to me?"_

"Yes!"

"_You forsake the weak and pitiful Boethiah?"_

"Yes!"

Molag-Bal laughed again, the sound sending chills down Indis' spine. _"You're mine now, Logrolf."_

Logrolf rose, looking relieved, believing the torture session to be complete, and Indis saw the old man's eyes widen in fear and surprise when Molag-Bal spoke again.

"_Finish him for me, mortal."_

Indis raised the mace one last time, bringing it down to meet Logrolf's skull, fully satisfying her new master.

* * *

Indis inspected the mace in her hands, the reward that Molag-Bal had given her after she had finished Logrolf. Pleased with her service, he had restored the rusted mace to its full glory, revealing that not only would the weapon drain the strength and stamina of her foes, it would trap their souls as well. All in all, it was an excellent reward for betraying a Vigilant and beating an old man to death.

"You wanted to stop in Rorikstead, right?" the carriage driver called back over the rumble of the turning wheels, eyes flicking nervously to the mace in her hands, something that had been happening ever since she left the abandoned house with it.

"Yes, please. I do. Is this Rorikstead?"

"It is. I'll drop you off by the inn, and wait for you. Don't take too long," he said, tugging on the reins to slow the horse. Indis jumped down and started towards the inn, surprised when a man ran up to her, his face absolutely livid.

"You! You have a lot of nerve to show your face here after what you did! You ought to be ashamed of yourself!" the man shouted, his raised voice drawing the attention of the other villagers nearby.

"I've been getting that a lot lately," Indis sighed, crossing her arms. "What did I do, and what can I do to make it right?"

"You don't remember? You sold Gleda, my prize winning goat to a giant after you stole her! You'd best get her back! I don't care how you do it, you'd just better get it done!" the man bellowed, storming off to a nearby field.

Indis groaned, opening the door to the Frostfruit Inn. If she had to take on a giant in order to get some man's wretched little goat back, she was going to need a drink first. Ignoring the fact that alcohol was the whole reason she was in this mess, she ordered the strongest ale the inn had, downing her tankard in a couple of seconds.

"I've seen you around here before! Ennis said you were the one who stole his goat," said a young, handsome redheaded Nord, staring at her curiously as he moved incredibly close to her. "You look like you've got all kinds of interesting stories to tell."

"Do you mind?" Indis mumbled, shifting away from him on the bench. "You're getting in my personal space."

"Sorry, sorry! My name is Erik, by the way," he stammered apologetically.

"I'm Indis," she replied disinterestedly, starting on her second drink.

"Are you an adventurer? You look like one. You look like you've seen interesting places and done all kinds of fascinating things," Erik sighed enviously, propping his chin on his elbow, bright blue eyes staring at her inquisitively. "I want to be an adventurer, but I'm stuck here farming."

"You've no idea," Indis replied, finishing her second drink. "Nothing wrong with farming," she continued with a shrug, rising from the bench. "Perhaps you should stick to it. You don't look like you've seen much action with a sword. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a giant to deal with."

She placed her second empty tankard on the table, wiped her mouth, and headed towards the door, ready to get this giant fiasco over with.

* * *

A few minutes out of Rorikstead, Indis had the strange feeling she was being followed. Turning slowly, she looked over her shoulder, surprised to see the redheaded Nord from the inn jogging up behind her.

"Oh, for the love of…" she muttered, coming to a dead stop as she turned to face him. Placing her hands on her hips, she mustered up the fiercest scowl she could manage. "What are you doing? Go back to Rorikstead."

"You didn't seem to think I had what it took to be an adventurer like you, so I'm here to show you that I can handle it. I'm going to help you slay that giant," Erik said, scowling right back at her, adjusting the worn, simple hunting bow on his back.

"Hmmph. You're an idiot. Go back to Rorikstead," she growled, taking off at a run, in a foul mood from goat-chasing and a long, bumpy carriage ride.

"No."

"Go back to Rorikstead."

"Nope, I don't think so."

"You have ten seconds to turn around and go back, or I will punch you in the throat."

"I'm not going back."

"I will make you go back, you stupid farm boy," Indis said angrily, coming to a halt. "Look at you; you don't even have any armor! Even I haven't fought a giant," she admitted, hoping it would make him change his mind.

"Well, it sounds like you definitely need my help then," he asserted, still following her.

"Fine," she spat, giving up on the stubborn man behind her. "If you end up getting yourself killed, it's not my fault. Don't get in my way."

He ran up next to her, grinning like a madman. "Why do you have to kill a giant?"

"Well…remember that goat that I stole from, uhh, what was his name again?"

"Ennis."

"Turns out I sold it to a giant. I'm guessing that giant isn't going to be too happy about me trying to take the goat back."

"Ohh," he said, eyes widening. "Wait! I think that's the giant right there. I don't think it's seen us," Erik said, pulling her down behind a boulder.

"Alright," Indis said, drawing her bow and nocking an arrow, peeking above the stone to observe the giant. "Are you any good with that thing?" she asked, tilting her head towards the bow he had in his trembling hands.

"I've shot at plenty of deer, and I've even hit lots of them…"

"Deer? You've killed…deer? And your aim is slightly above mediocre? Well, color me impressed, lad," she whispered, voice thick with a sarcastic awe-struck tone. "I'd best step aside then, and let the mighty Erik the Slayer handle this!"

He remained nonplussed and raised his bow excitedly. "My first giant, I can't believe it!" he continued, taking aim.

"Just make sure the damn goat doesn't get killed, alright? After you," she said, motioning for him to take the first shot.

* * *

"That was amazing," Erik gasped, trying to control the wriggling Gleda that he was firmly carrying in his arms. They had attempted to lead Gleda back to Rorikstead, but they quickly found that the stupid little goat had a tendency to wander and run off, causing them to frantically chase her, lest she find herself back in a giant's camp. "A giant! We killed a giant!"

"So we did," she mumbled, praying to the Divines that he would shut up soon. His constant chatter was making her head throb. "You know, you're not so bad with that bow," Indis reluctantly admitted. He had proven that he was a decent shot, and he had loosed the arrow that had pierced the giant's skull, killing it.

"Thank you!" he replied cheerfully, beaming with pride.

"I suppose I was wrong, it looks like you _might _have what it takes to be an adventurer," Indis begrudgingly admitted. "Listen, if you're serious about it, then…well…I'll give you the gold you'd need to buy yourself a weapon and some armor."

Erik stopped and turned, surprise and shock on his face. "You…you mean that? Truly?"

"I do."

He stepped forward and attempted to hug her, sandwiching a confused goat in between them. "I don't know what to say, but thank you! Thank you so much! I can't believe that…"

"One condition, though," Indis continued, growing irate. "You stop talking."

* * *

After returning what appeared to be a rather average goat to Ennis, she had been directed to return to Whiterun after he told her that she had drunkenly shared she needed to see Ysolda about a ring. Erik had insisted that he come with her to Whiterun, and she had allowed it, a decision she had come to quickly regret. Once again, he engaged in constant, friendly chatter, and she spent the entire time fantasizing about all of the different ways to murder him, finally deciding that throwing him under the wheels of the carriage was her favorite.

"See that over there? That's Warmaiden's. Go talk to Adrienne, she'll set you up," Indis said, pointing towards the nearby forge before tossing him a large sack of gold. "After that, go back to Rorikstead."

Indis walked off before he could answer, hoping that he would finally leave her alone. She found her way over to the marketplace, waving Ysolda down as soon as she saw her. "Ysolda! I, err, I think I need to see you."

"You're back! Oh, what's wrong? Did the wedding not happen? It's a shame, you seemed so excited about it. You said it was going to be at Morvunskar, and you were going to have all the most interesting guests," Ysolda said, turning to face her.

"Err…wedding?"

"Don't you remember? I can't believe you don't remember! It was the sweetest story I've ever heard. How you met her under the stars in Witchmist Grove. It was absolutely lovely," Ysolda said, giving a soft sigh. "Listen, if you get the ring back for me, I'll consider your debts paid. Unless you want to pay 2000 Septims for it, that is. Shame the wedding isn't going to happen, you sounded so excited."

Witchmist Grove? A wedding? Even more puzzled than before, Indis wandered into the Bannered Mare, wondering if her companions that she had abandoned without warning were still in Whiterun. When she spotted a figure decked out in chitin armor, she immediately made her way over.

"I'll be honest, I thought you might have died for real this time," Teldryn drawled as she approached.

"Really? No need to sound so disappointed. Where is Serana?"

"She went back to Riften, thought you might eventually show up there. She told me to wait here just in case you came back to Whiterun."

"Well, I appreciate your concern."

"What's our next move?" he asked, pulling back the cloth that covered his mouth in order to take a sip of mead.

"I need to make a stop in Witchmist Grove."

* * *

With a little bit of smooth talking, Teldryn had managed to convince the carriage driver to deviate from his usual route just a bit to drop them off in Kynesgrove. From there, they would have to trek to Witchmist Grove on foot. He had tried to convince her to wait until morning to continue their journey, but she had insisted on going that evening; partly out of desire to get the ring back as soon as possible and partly out of curiosity, wondering what the conditions had been like when she supposedly fell madly in love.

The skies were clear, with the moons shining bright in the sky, the stars swimming around them in the inky blue night sky. Teldryn hadn't asked the reason for journeying to a new location off the beaten path, and for that, Indis was grateful. They walked along silently, their breath forming small, steaming clouds in the air in front of them, with the sound of dirt and stone crunching underneath their boots the only sound.

"I think that's it," Indis said, breaking the silence as she pointed to a small cabin with a few small lanterns lit around it within a grove of trees. Upon approaching, she realized there were numerous large, wooden spikes surrounding the structure, many of which had goat heads impaled on them. Teldryn stepped on a stick, and the sound of it breaking sent a loud, echoing crack throughout the clearing. The shadows within the cabin shifted, and a figure passed through the doorway.

"My darling! I've been eagerly awaiting your return! It is time to consummate our love!" hissed a voice, and after a few seconds of squinting, Indis gasped.

A hagraven. She was apparently fallen in love with a hagraven. _Just ask for the ring back, Indis…this can't go too badly, right?_

"Hello…sweetheart," Indis awkwardly stammered, really beginning to wish that she hadn't brought Teldryn with her. He would never, ever let her live this down. "I need to talk to you. About, errr, our relationship."

"Yes, my love? What is it?" the hagraven asked eagerly. "Is it time for us to wed?"

"Actually, about that. Umm, I need the ring back. The wedding is…not going to happen," Indis said, placing her hand on the hilt of Chillrend, just in case things turned ugly.

"What?" the creature spat, eyes growing hateful and furious. "You want it for that hussy Esmeralda, the one with the dark feathers, don't you? I'd rather die than let her have you!" she continued, lunging forward, swiping at Indis with her talons.

Indis stumbled back, fumbling as she unsheathed her sword. Luckily, Teldryn had already stepped in, dousing her fiancée in flames with one hand, slashing at her with the sword in his right hand. She jumped forward to join the fight, grateful that Teldryn was distracting the creature. The hagraven's focus was on her Dunmer companion, and Indis swiftly found her way behind the creature and grabbed her betrothed around the throat, plunging the glass sword through her chest from behind. The hagraven hissed and croaked, arms still attempting to swat at Teldryn, and as Indis withdrew her blade, the creature gave one final gasp before dying in Indis' arms.

Indis let the hagraven's body fall to the ground, and they both stood there silently staring at the still form, with Indis refusing to meet her companion's eyes. All of a sudden, the silence was broken by Teldryn bursting into laughter, his loud, raspy cackle sending a nearby group of bats into flight.

"Teldryn, shut up," she muttered, fumbling around in the pockets of the hagraven, standing up once she had located a small golden ring. "If you tell anyone about this, I will kill you."

He was still laughing, now bent over, with hands on his knees, shaking with hard laughter. "You…you were engaged to a…a ha-hagraven? How can I not tell anyone about this? I'm going to tell _everyone_ about this!"

"No, you will not," she said sternly, gripping the ring in her hand.

"Oh, but I will, I will! I…I can't keep something like this to myself," he gasped, removing his helmet to wipe away at the tears that had formed in his eyes. "I'll stop strangers in the street, I'll have bards write songs about it, or something, but people _must_ know about this."

* * *

After battling their way through a fort infested with hostile mages, Indis and Teldryn found themselves standing in front of a massive glowing orb of light. She had remembered that Ysolda had mentioned something about the wedding being at Morvunskar, a fort that was a relatively short distance away from Witchmist Grove. Indis had dragged Teldryn along with her, with her still refusing to speak to him, and with him still refusing to stop mentioning her fiancée.

"Is this it? Is this where you're supposed to go?" he asked, pointing to the orb.

"I…I guess? I don't know. Touch it," she said, begrudgingly speaking to him.

"Are you mad, muthsera? You want me to just touch some strange thing we happened across? You want to find out what it is, you touch it," he replied haughtily, crossing his arms.

"Consider it punishment for being so awful about the hagraven."

"Absolutely not. Ladies first," he said sarcastically, gesturing to it with a grand flourish.

Indis stood there for a few seconds, and then before he could react, she shoved Teldryn with all of her might, causing him to fall into the ball of light. She waited for a few seconds, listening, ears seeking for any unusual sounds, such as those of a Dunmer screaming in agony as he died a horrible death. After hearing nothing, she gave a slightly disappointed sigh, and walked into the light.

* * *

"What were you thinking?" Teldryn hissed, grabbing her shoulders as. "That could have killed me!"

"That is true, but if you really think about it, anything can kill you," she said, wiggling out of his grip. "Besides, it obviously didn't, so I don't know why you're so upset," Indis continued, beginning to walk along the path. They were in a small, grassy grove, the light surrounding them thick with pollen and steam from the nearby plants and water, the lanterns hanging about giving it a strange hue.

"Hmmph," he grunted, following her. "What are we looking for anyway?"

"Sam!" she cried out, spotting the drinking partner she thought she would never see again, waving to him, hoping he would have answers.

"Well, well," the Breton said, rising from the table he was sitting at, walking past the random people feasting at it. "I was beginning to think you might not make it."

"I have all the items to fix the staff," she said, pulling out the junk she had decided to hold onto after finding his list in the Temple of Dibella.

"Oh, those? You can throw those away, we don't need those. That was just something to get you to have a little fun! You were feeling so terribly down, and I figured you would be the perfect person to bring merriment and debauchery into the world."

"Wait, what? What about the staff? Was this all just a prank?" Indis asked, growing frustrated.

"A prank? No, no, my dear! You see," he said, pausing, a purple-blue light swirling around him. "Uncle Sanguine doesn't deal in mere pranks!"

Indis stepped back and gasped, mouth agape at the sight of the massive, horned, red and black skinned Daedra now standing in front of her. "S-Sanguine?!"

"The one and only. Now, here you go, your reward, for being my harbinger of merriment, debauchery, and gluttony. My staff," he said, presenting her with a staff with a beautiful glowing rose at the top. "Use that, and you'll be able to summon a dremora. Fair reward? Consider it a wedding gift."

"A wedding gift?" she asked, surprised by his words.

"Don't you remember, you told me you just couldn't wait to marry your betrothed that you met the night you had my special brew, and you just begged me to marry you two once you brought them here? Is this him here? Let's get everything started," Sanguine said mirthfully, grabbing Indis and Teldryn and pulling them towards each other, ignoring their loud, frantic protestations and their exclamations that he was very, very mistaken.

* * *

"Lydia, I am exhausted," Indis groaned, throwing herself onto her bed, landing amongst the pillows and blankets with a dull thud, thankful that Sanguine had somehow magically transported them back to the Bannered Mare in Whiterun.

"I forgot, my Thane, but a letter from the Jarl arrived while you were gone. I set it aside," Lydia said, sitting down on the edge of Indis' bed, tossing a letter to her. "Where were you?"

"Long story. I'll tell you later."

Indis sat up and scooted towards the edge next to her housecarl and picked up the small piece of paper. She broke the seal, which had been clumsily done, and then inspected the letter, with Lydia reading over her shoulder. It was clumsily written, in some truly awful penmanship, and there were large splatters of ink randomly dotting the page. Finally, she began reading.

_Dear Thane Indis,_

_I think you are a very pretty lady, probably one of the prettiest ladys in Skyrim, but I don't really know for sure, since I have not seen all the ladys in Skyrim. I would very much like to kiss you a lot on your face, and look into your pretty red eyes as I feed you baked potatos by candlelight. If you want, I will put lots and lots of blood on the potatos because I know you like that or something. Then, we should probably go and get married immediately because you will probably be about to have a baby because we kissed. _

_Yarl Balgruf_

Indis and Lydia both silently looked up from the letter and met each other's eyes, both of them immediately bursting into a loud, raucous cackle. Indis fell back onto the bed, clutching her sides, shaking and wheezing with uncontrollable laughter. Lydia was no better; she had fallen onto the floor, and was banging her fists on the hard wood, snorting and howling as well. After several minutes, they finally calmed down, and Lydia lay down next to her Thane, who was rubbing her sore stomach muscles.

All of a sudden, Indis remembered the man she had just married, thanks to the fancies and whims of a Daedric Lord, still sitting in the Bannered Mare, waiting for her to return, and any good feelings she had quickly dissipated.

* * *

**There you have it! I know I told some people that the big Indis/Balgruuf scene would be in here, but I decided to stop here, since this chapter turned out to be crazy long. I couldn't help it, I just love ol' Uncle Sanguine's quest so much! Next chapter, it's time to save the Guild as well as get a little bit of marriage counseling. :)**


	39. Mistress Mero-Sero

Upon her arrival in Dragonsreach, she had been directed straight to the jarl's quarters, and she had settled down in his study, propping her feet up on the desk, waiting for him to arrive. Indis was rereading the letter she had received for what seemed like the fiftieth time when she heard a voice spoke.

"You're back."

"I am," she said, removing her feet from the desk, straightening up in the chair. "From what I understand, I caused a bit of, umm, trouble in Whiterun," she finished, coughing nervously.

"It's quite alright," Balgruuf said, waving his hand at her, leaning over the other side of the desk. "It's all been handled."

"Really? Thank you, I appreciate it," Indis said, standing up. "I'm actually here about something else, though. I got a very unusual letter, you see. One that's supposed to be from you, but, well…just read it. You'll see why it very obviously wasn't written by you."

She slid the letter across the table and he picked it up and opened it, eyebrows raising it as he read it.

"You have some very, umm, creative children."

He buried his burning face in one hand, absolutely mortified that his children had sent her a letter like that, thinking that she would buy it. "What gave it away?"

"Well, you seem like an intelligent man, and I figured you would at least know how to spell your own name and your title correctly, but perhaps I was mistaken…"

He laughed, eyes still focused on the evidence of his children's ruse.

Taking a deep breath and mustering up all of the courage she had, Indis finally spoke. "So…were they correct? Do you…do you want to do those things?"

Balgruuf looked up at her silently, his face blank. All of a sudden, in one strong, swift movement, he pushed everything on his desk aside to the floor and pulled her towards him, his lips meeting hers in a heated, crushing kiss. Indis climbed onto the desk towards him, clumsily making her way over to the other side. Once she had settled in a seated position on the top of the desk, Balgruuf pulled her closer to deepen their kiss, and she responded by wrapping her legs around his waist.

"I'm going to take that as a yes," she said, gasping as his lips moved down to her neck, his hands fumbling to untie and take off her tunic. Once he had completed that task, he pulled away from her, only to begin removing his clothes. He removed his shirt, revealing a broad, muscular chest dotted with scars and the remnants of past wounds. She gently ran her fingers over them, knowing that she should stop herself, not wanting to. His mouth was on her neck, and one calloused thumb was gently tracing lazy circles on one of her large, coppery buds.

"B-Balgruuf, I need to tell you something," she said, pushing him back.

"What's wrong?" he asked, looking at her with concern.

"While I was away, I…I got married."

His brow furrowed, and he gently pulled her hand up, inspecting the ring on her index finger, the tiny gems on it glittering in the light. Letting her hand go, he sighed. "I can't catch a fucking break," he groaned.

"There's something you should know about it, though," Indis said, launching into a full, detailed account of her drunken escapades due to Sanguine, finishing with the wedding that she and Teldryn had been unwilling participants in.

"So, you didn't want to marry him?"

"No, I didn't. After I leave Whiterun, we're going to go to Riften to the Temple of Mara, to see if this can't be…well, if we can't get out of this somehow."

"But for now, you're married."

"I am. Does that mean you don't want to…?"

Balgruuf looked at her, the woman he had wanted for so long, knowing full well that he shouldn't give in, that he shouldn't do this with another man's wife, but he pushed aside any honorable thoughts he was having, and set to work undoing her trousers.

* * *

"You have a very comfortable bed," Indis said with a sigh, savoring the feel of his arms around her. "And as much as I'd like to stay here, I'd best be going. Don't worry; I'll be discrete when leaving."

"I wish you didn't have to be," Balgruuf replied, watching her as she stood up to dress herself again, envying her husband.

"So do I," Indis said with a wan smile, leaning over to give him another kiss.

"I have one request."

"Yes, what is it?" she asked, tugging on her boots.

"I'd like you to bring your husband here for dinner tonight. I'd like to meet him."

* * *

Indis sought out Teldryn in the Bannered Mare, taking a seat across from her husband, placing a pile of clothes on the table.

"Where have you been? Meeting with your jarl?"

"Yes," she replied, trying to quell the wave of guilt that had suddenly washed over her, knowing that she shouldn't have given into her desire for him. "Where's that ring? I need to return it to Ysolda."

"It's right here," Teldryn replied, tossing it towards her. "Neither of us needs it anymore, thanks to these lovely little things from Uncle Sanguine," he said, tapping the jeweled band on his finger. "What are those for?" he continued, patting the clothes on the table.

"Oh, right! These. You need to put these on," she said, pointing to the fine, expensive clothing.

"What for?" he asked, his raspy voice curious.

"The jarl has invited us to dinner tonight, and you should look halfway decent. Wash off that warpaint, too."

"Warpaint?" he replied, chuckling quietly. "This is a tattoo."

"Of course it is," she said with a sigh. This was going to be a long evening.

* * *

The moment Indis had told him that she had found a husband, his heart was crushed and he was still recovering from the news. Despite this, Balgruuf readied himself anyway for the dinner he had so stupidly arranged to meet the man. He put on his finest clothes, ordered the most extravagant dishes for the meal, not so much to impress the man, but to impress Indis. He waited at the private dining table in his chambers, ready for them to arrive.

When she walked through the door, her arm linked through that of a tall, tattooed Dunmer man with a mohawk, he thought the gods must be playing a cruel joke on him. Indis broke free of her husband as they neared, and Balgruuf placed a kiss on her cheek, resisting the urge to make his lips meet hers.

"My jarl, this is my husband, Teldryn Sero," she said, motioning to the Dunmer man who had retaken her arm.

"The please is all mine, Jarl Balgruuf," Teldryn drawled, extending a hand. The Nord took it, and they had a short stare down as they shook hands far longer than necessary, their grips hard and vice-like, before Indis interrupted them. "Shall we eat? I'm so hungry I could eat an entire horker," she said, laughing nervously, hoping to dispel the tension.

They sat down at the table, not saying anything, the three of them only flicking their eyes back and forth in between each other. Finally, Balgruuf spoke. "How did you two meet? There aren't many Dunmer here in Skyrim."

"My lovely wife and I met on Solstheim," Teldryn said, picking up his goblet and taking a sip of spiced wine. "It's an island off the northern coast of Morrowind."

"I'm aware of where Solstheim is," Balgruuf replied, perhaps a little more snippy than necessary.

"I hired him to go north with me on the island. He decided to come with me to Skyrim afterwards, and he joined the Dawnguard with me," she said, raising her eyebrows at the jarl's tone.

_A sellsword? She married a…a mercenary?_ Balgruuf mused to himself, silently aghast. He had little respect for mercenaries, believing that they had little honor. Instead of replying, he fell silent, quietly poking at his soup.

"So, Whiterun," Teldryn suddenly said, breaking the awkward silence. "I had always heard so much about it, the city that was the pride and joy of Skyrim. It really doesn't look like much to me. Now Blacklight on the other hand…there's a proper city."

_Of course he's going to be an ass and insult the man's hold and city. Of course._ Indis silently fumed before gripping Teldryn's arm tightly. "Excuse me, my jarl," she said with a strained smile. "I need to have a word with my _husband_," she finished, spitting out the final word venomously as she dragged him away from the table.

Balgruuf sat alone, ears straining to hear what was undoubtedly supposed to be a private conversation.

"Why did you have to say that?" she hissed, trying to whisper. "What were you thinking, insulting the jarl like that?"

"I was merely pointing out that Blacklight is a better city, that's all," the man whispered back haughtily.

"By insulting Whiterun? You are embarrassing me," Indis said, her quiet voice cracking.

Balgruuf listened as they continued to argue, hoping that she was able to find a way out of her marriage, and soon.

* * *

Enthir was exactly where she had found him in the Frozen Hearth Inn, sitting in a corner drinking mead. He looked up at her excitedly when she arrived. "Good, you're finally back! Karliah is here, waiting downstairs. It took you a while," he added curiously.

"I got a little sidetracked," she said with a shrug before turning to her husband. "Do you mind…?"

"Waiting here? Not at all. I'm sure this business isn't meant for my ears," Teldryn replied, settling down in a seat by the roaring fire. "I'll be here."

Indis followed Enthir downstairs, giving a nod to Karliah once she had arrived. "I'm glad you're here," Karliah said, giving her a small smile. "You didn't run into too much trouble, I hope."

"Not at all," Indis said, settling down next to Karliah, digging the roll of paper out of her satchel, placing it, along with the journal, on the table. "Getting the translation was rather easy, surprisingly. I, uhh, befriended his nephew, who led me right to it."

"Very clever," Karliah replied, sounding impressed. "Hopefully we'll be able to find out what Gallus wrote in his journal."

"Well," Enthir said, running his finger along a page of Gallus' journal. "It seems that Gallus _did_ have his suspicions about Mercer. He believed that Mercer was stealing money from the Guild in order to fund a lavish lifestyle. Gallus also seemed to have suspicions that Mercer desecrated something called the Twilight Sepulcher, stealing something called the Skeleton Key?"

"Gods damn Mercer, I should have known!" Karliah started, standing up, looking absolutely furious.

"What is the Skeleton Key?" Indis asked.

"The Skeleton Key is the ultimate lockpick. It allows those who possess it to open any door, any lock."

"Well," Indis said, surprised that Mercer had possession of such a powerful object. "That certainly explains how he was able to open a Nordic puzzle lock without the correct claw."

"We have what we need. You and I…I think we can return to the Guild now that we have evidence of Mercer's betrayal. Here, this is something that I want you to have. It belonged to Gallus, but I think that given the circumstances, he would want you to have it," Karliah said, presenting Indis with a beautiful blade. "It's the Nightingale Blade. Now, we have work to do. One week, I'll meet you in the inn in Riften. Don't be late."

* * *

"What do you mean 'separation is not an option'?" Indis hissed, leaning down so that her nose was almost touching that of the very uneasy priest.

"I mean that, well…divorce is not typically an option the Temple of Mara gives, unless there are extreme or extenuating circumstances," Maramal replied nervously, put off by how close she was.

"Were you listening? We just told you what happened. I'd say a marriage for the amusement of a Daedric Lord is quite extreme, and there are all kinds of reasons to justify it," she said, backing away before retaking her seat next to Teldryn.

"Yes, yes. I was listening. I'll…I need to speak with Lady Mara regarding the matter and obtain her guidance. I'll be back soon, just wait here," Maramal said, rising from his chair, heading out of the room.

Indis and Teldryn sat in silence, refusing to speak or make eye contact. It had been a week since their marriage in Misty Grove, and Indis was hoping that the union would be annulled or they could divorce with relative ease. Unfortunately, the temple priests were making this a great deal more difficult than she had hoped.

After a few minutes, Maramal returned, settling back down in the chair across from them. After they had stared at him expectantly for a few seconds, he finally spoke. "Lady Mara has heard your plea and she will allow you the option of separation."

At these words, Indis sighed with relief and Teldryn shifted forward in his chair.

"However," he continued, beginning to twiddle his thumbs, leaning forward towards them. "Lady Mara would like you both to make an honest attempt to make your union work."

"What?" Indis said, snapping out of her blissful haze. Of course there was going to be a 'but'.

"She asks that you give it six months, and should the situation still be so…unbearable, then your divorce will be granted. Now, she has given me a list of things she wishes you both to do to try and make your marriage work, and has asked me to remind you both that she'll be watching to ensure that you are both making your best efforts. If you need any aid during the meantime, please, feel free to seek me out here. "

* * *

Indis leaned forward, staring at the list on the table in front of them, trying to ignore the midday chatter of the Bee and Barb. After she was done reading it, she slid it across the table towards her husband, who then picked it up, sipping on mead as he inspected the terms and conditions laid out on the piece of parchment.

"This doesn't seem like too much to ask," Teldryn finally said, setting the list back down.

"I suppose not," she replied, reflecting on what Mara had asked them to do. Most of it was simple, with instructions that boiled down to having them be kind, considerate, thoughtful and civil to each other. However, she had noticed that as she went further down the list, the instructions had moved on to relate to things of a more physically intimate and carnal nature. At the thought of actually kissing or making love with her husband, she became flustered and nervous, quickly swilling down more mead.

"Easy there," he said, reaching over to slap her on the back once she had choked from drinking too much.

"Th-thanks," Indis gasped, wishing he would take off his damn helmet so she could see how he was reacting to all of this.

"You know what bothers me the most about this whole thing?"

"What?" she asked, not certain if she actually wanted to know what he was going to say.

"The creepy 'Mara will be watching' part. I never knew the goddess of love was so…voyeuristic and nosy."

"Teldryn!"

"That odd little priest said that was what she told him, that she would be _watching_. I'll bet he gets his jollies that way, listening to what Lady Mara tells him about watching couples, wanking it as she tells him about the farmer and his wife and how they used goat's milk to—

"Teldryn!" she said again, smacking him in the arm with the rolled up list, hoping no one nearby had overheard him. Indis had tried to sound stern and disapproving, but she ended up letting out a snort and a giggle instead. "You shouldn't say that."

"Why not? It's probably true. Besides, you seemed to be quite amused," he said, leaning back in his chair, twiddling his thumbs. "Now, tell me, are you going to take my surname?"

"What? No. I'm keeping mine."

"Yours? What's yours?"

"Mero."

"Mero, Sero. They're basically the same thing."

"They are not."

"All you have to do is change one letter, that's all."

"Then if you have to change something, then they're not 'basically the same thing'."

"They're close enough. Or, you could go by Mero-Sero."

"Mero-Sero? That is awful. Absolutely terrible."

"What's wrong with it? I think it has a certain charm. Indis Mero-Sero."

"Don't call me that."

"So, Mistress Mero-Sero. What would you like to accomplish first on this ridiculous list?"

"You're going to regret calling me that. I want to do that one," Indis said with a sigh, hoping he stopped calling her Indis Mero-Sero soon, moving a finger to land on one line of text. "I hope that's acceptable. But first, I need to take care of some business with the Guild."

* * *

**Well, looks like Indis and Teldryn are stuck with each other for a while. Think they'll be able to work things out, or will it end?**


	40. The Chase

After pushing the button that opened the secret entrance to the Guild, Indis and Karliah stepped back, watching it slide open. Indis took off down the steps, yanking on the cover that would reveal the ladder down to the Cistern.

"It's locked," she said with a sigh, looking up at Karliah. "We're going to have to take the route through the Ratways."

"That's not surprising. I'm guessing everything was locked down after Mercer came back here. They're probably expecting us."

* * *

The soft, dull drip of water throughout the dank Ratway was the only sound for several minutes as they made their way towards the Ragged Flagon. The previous, hostile inhabitants hadn't been replaced by other lowlifes, making their journey relatively simple.

"Forgive me if this seems too forward, you don't have to tell me if you don't wish," Karliah began, her soft voice inquisitive. "But were you and Mercer…involved?"

"Involved? No. It was just…it was just a one-time thing," Indis replied with a shrug. "Nothing more."

"I see. Even so, this must be difficult for you."

"I suppose," she said, biting her lip. It _was_ difficult. She had trusted Mercer; she had been closer and more loyal to him than anyone else in the Guild. "We're here," Indis continued, placing her hand on the handle of the door that led to the Ragged Flagon. "I don't know what lies ahead. We should keep our guard up."

Indis pulled her hood up over her head and kept her head down low as she made her way towards the door of the Cistern, with Karliah following suit, with a few sets of curious eyes on them.

"I hope nobody figures out who I am," the Dunmer whispered nervously, moving closer to Indis.

"Don't worry, we're here now," Indis whispered back, pulling open the door to the Cistern, a loud screeching sound echoing throughout the chamber.

They walked forward slowly, both gripping their weapons tight as soon as they spied Brynjolf, Vex, and Delvin waiting for them, blades raised with murder in their eyes.

"You'd better have a damn good reason for bringing that murderer back here," Brynjolf spat, eyes narrowing on Karliah.

"Bryn, listen," Indis said, sheathing her blade and stepping forward. "Karliah is innocent, and we have proof," she finished holding out the journal and the translation. "Please, just…just hear us out."

* * *

"Are…are you sure? You're certain he said that?" the man in front of her said, his arms crossed. Vald was the watchdog for Riftweald, and she had met him once before when Mercer brought her here.

"Vald, I'm serious. Mercer needs you to go to Markarth and meet him there immediately," she stressed, eyes wide, voice urgent.

"But…but I'm supposed to watch his place. I can't just leave it…" he trailed off, scratching his head.

"You know, I could watch it for you," she offered, resting her chin on the stone wall in front of her.

"You would really do that for me? You're sure? Wow, I don't know what to say! Here, here's the key to the place, just in case you need to get in. I know Mercer would be fine with you watching the place. He trusts you."

She watched him walk away, making a mental note to talk with Vex about her choice in men. After she was satisfied that he was out of sight, Indis drew back her bow as far as she could, waiting until she had heard the telltale creak that signaled it was back all the way. She loosed the arrow, hitting the ramp that led to Riftweald Manor, causing the lever to give way, allowing her access to Mercer's home. After presenting the evidence that cleared Karliah's name, Brynjolf and Delvin had opened the Guild's vault to determine whether or not Mercer had actually made away with all of the Guild's wealth.

He had.

Everyone had snapped into a vehement fury, vowing revenge on Mercer for his betrayal. Brynjolf had asked Indis to infiltrate his home and search for any useful information; information that might let them know where he was going. She walked up the ramp and slid the key into the lock, gingerly stepping indoors. It was empty, absolutely dead silent, save for the creak of the wooden floors under her feet. Indis paused briefly by Mercer's bedroom, staring at the bed she had spent so much time recovering in after he had saved her life. Shaking off any sympathetic thoughts she was having, she continued downstairs, ready to begin her search.

* * *

"Gods dammit!" she cried out, shoving the drawers back into the small desk, tossing aside the strange grocery list she had found lying on the floor. Indis had been searching for what seemed like an age, trying to find evidence of his plans. Tugging on her hair in frustration, she bit her lip as she scanned the small room she was in, trying to figure out if there were any places she had left unchecked. Her eyes fell on a large object in the corner, one she was certain she hadn't investigated: the wardrobe.

She threw its doors open, smiling to herself when she was greeted with what was obviously a false back panel. Her fingers slid down the edges, seeking a catch or release, pushing down on a small button, sighing with pleasure when the false back slid aside.

"Brilliant," she sighed to herself, stepping through.

* * *

Indis had just barely ducked past a swinging blade, the sharp steel nicking the back of her armor. "Paranoid bastard," she grumpily muttered to herself, reflecting on all of the numerous traps she had made it through.

At the end of a hallway, Indis spied a small desk, with a few pieces of paper on top of it. On a large piece of parchment, there was a map, a diagram with a drawing of a statue next to it. There was Mercer's familiar scribble all over the notes, with arrows pointing every which way. Rolling the paper up, she tucked it under her arm, certain that this had to be what they were looking for. She turned to leave, eyes catching her name written on a small square of parchment. Gently picking it up, she unfolded it, eyes reading over the short script.

_Indis,_

_See you soon, sweetheart._

_Mercer_

* * *

"Lass, you can ask me as many times as you want, but I _still _won't know why Karliah wanted us to meet her here," Brynjolf said, exasperated after Indis had asked him the same question again, just in a different way.

"Hmmph, no need to get all huffy about it," she replied, tugging her knapsack tighter across her shoulders. After she had returned to the Cistern with the plans, which involved Mercer going after some incredibly valuable, perfect gems called the Eyes of the Falmer, Karliah had insisted that they meet her at the Shadow Stone outside of town. "Look, I see Karliah there now."

Karliah waved to them upon their approach, coming over to meet them. "You're here. We can get started then."

"You want to tell us what's going on?" Brynjolf asked, gazing at her curiously. "Didn't tell us anything."

"Soon, Brynjolf. Soon," she said, opening a door for them. "This is Nightingale Hall. Come with me."

* * *

Indis stared at the deep black, beautifully made armor in her hands, sighing as she ran her hands across the leather that looked like it was forged midnight. Karliah had brought them here to become Nightingales, the group of highly skilled thieves that served the Daedric Prince Nocturnal, claiming that in order to succeed against Mercer, they needed the blessing and guidance of Lady Nocturnal. Indis had heard of the Nightingales, but was surprised to learn that they were actually real, and was even more shocked to learn that the trinity had once consisted of Gallus, Karliah, and Mercer.

"You'll need to put that on before we can continue further," Karliah said, gesturing to the armor Indis was holding.

She looked back down with it at a sigh, feeling morose and incredibly unhappy that she seemed to have little choice in the matter. _What's another Daedra? _Indis silently asked herself, beginning to undo her Guild armor in order to replace it with that of the Nightingale.

* * *

"What do you think?" Indis asked her husband, gesturing to her new black, skintight armor.

"I think you look…" he started, trailing off as he looked up at her. "Quite fantastic."

"You know, you never told me what you wanted to do first on the list," Indis said, laying out on the bed and propping her chin on her fist as she stared at him. Teldryn shifted uncomfortably and put his helmet back on, thankful his hideous chitin helmet was hiding his face.

"What's wrong? You want to kiss or something?" she continued jokingly, a little unnerved by his silence.

Teldryn drummed his fingers on the table, watching her silently. He hadn't planned on saying anything, but the sight of his attractive, young wife in her form-fitting armor had made him want to select a more physical task from the list. "Yes, actually."

She cocked an eyebrow, smiling slightly. "Really? I don't see why not, considering we are…married," Indis said, the word still feeling strange on her tongue. "You do realize that you're going to have to take off that damn helmet if you want to do this, right?

"I was going to take it off, don't worry. Come over here."

"No, you come over here. I'm comfortable," Indis said, lying back on the bed.

"Fine," he mumbled, feeling slightly nervous, flopping down on the bed next to her after setting his helmet aside, looking down at her. He had kissed women before, but Indis wasn't just a woman; she was his wife, a concept that was still incredibly foreign to him.

"…Well?" she whispered, looking up at him expectantly.

He leaned down slowly, gently pressing his lips to hers, giving her a very short, chaste kiss, pulling away after a few brief seconds. "Got any more?" she asked, surprising him. Teldryn leaned down again, engaging her in a more fervent kiss, raising one hand to cup her cheek, the other finding its way down to her lower stomach. All of a sudden, he pulled back, an odd expression on his face.

"Something wrong?" she asked, puzzled. She had surprisingly enjoyed it, and it seemed like he had as well.

"I just thought about…"

"About her watching us?" Indis finished, suddenly feeling the pleasant mood dissipate.

"Yes," he replied, leaning back, running his hand through his mohawk, silently cursing the Divine. _Who knew the goddess of love could turn out to be such a cockblock._

* * *

"This is what you wanted to do? _This_ is what you wanted to do when you chose 'do something your spouse enjoys'?" Teldryn hissed, crouching behind her on the cold, snow-covered balcony that they had climbed and clambered up to.

"Yes, it is," she whispered, setting the large sack she was carrying down, jimmying the window open. "You asked what I like to do, and this is one of my favorite things. Now be quiet, I need to concentrate."

Teldryn shook his head, still unable to believe what his partner had chosen to do. After she had told him that she enjoyed breaking into people's homes, stealing from them, and leaving strange, random objects lying around after rearranging their furniture, he thought she had been kidding. Yet, here they were, slipping into someone's bedroom with a massive bag filled with gods knows what.

She adjusted her dark cowl before slipping through the window, turning back to motion for him to hand her the large bag. He passed it off to her, coming in behind her, awkwardly stumbling through the window.

"Shhh!" Indis said, grabbing his arm. "You have to be quieter. We need to be fast, I'm not sure how long we'll have. Take a look around and grab anything that looks valuable. Nothing too big, though. I'll take care of rearranging things."

Trying to comprehend his wife's idea of a romantic night out, Teldryn swept through the room, grabbing jewels, potions, and a few small pieces of jewelry, stuffing them in his knapsack. After completing his task, he returned to Indis, who had taken care of her duties.

"Done? Good, that was fast. Let's get out of here," she said quietly, leading him towards the open window.

* * *

Ulfric Stormcloak trudged upstairs to his room, exhausted from another day of discussions and deliberations pertaining to the civil war at hand. The war was draining him, but the only time he allowed himself to show any signs of weakness or fatigue was when he was alone in his chambers, a place he was more than ready to be. He pushed the door to his bedroom open, ready to tumble into bed and immediately fall asleep. Ulfric came to an abrupt stop, the sound of an open window flying back and forth in the harsh night wind breaking him out of his stupor. He reflexively placed his hand on the axe at his side, unable to believe what he was seeing.

Someone, whoever it was that had entered through the window, had turned every single table and chair upside down and moved them into one corner. They also had removed every blanket, sheet and pillow from his bed and draped it over the rearranged furniture, creating some sort of massive fort-like structure. The intruder hadn't stopped there; lying in the middle of his bare bed was a massive pile of assorted cheeses.

"What the fuck?" he finally said out loud, stunned by this strange turn of events. "Who…who in the name of Talos did this?"

* * *

After hastily retreating from the scene of the crime, Indis and Teldryn sprinted through the streets of Windhelm, snow crunching under their feet as they stopped in a deserted side street so Teldryn could catch his breath.

Indis leaned against the icy stone of a nearby wall, watching him after she had removed the thick cowl that covered all but her eyes. "You have to admit, that was fantastic. Enjoy messing with the man who is responsible for sequestering the Dunmer in the Grey Quarter?"

He straightened up, his breathing finally back to normal. "Yes, actually. I did."

"I'm glad," she replied with a smile, smoothing down her tousled hair. "Come on, let's get inside. It's freezing out here," Indis continued as she grabbed his hand and took off, leading him back towards the inn.

* * *

Indis stomped the snow off of her boots, entering the Dwemer ruins, glad to be out of the cold, happy to no longer be dealing with the bandits that gave her such as difficult time as she ascended to the entrance of Irkngthand. She had left an unhappy, worried Teldryn behind in Windhelm, after insisting that she go alone, that once she arrived at the ruins and met Karliah and Brynjolf, she would be fine. He had begrudgingly let her continue her journey alone, after she had promised to meet him back in Windhelm safe.

Treading forward carefully and quietly, she passed through several more chambers, avoiding a number of flame traps, instinctively shuddering as she felt the heat from the fire. After battling her way past a few Dwarven spheres that she had notified of her presence, she descended into the cavern, sighing with relief when she spotted Brynjolf and Karliah waiting for her.

"Ah, lass, there you are," Brynjolf said, his thick accented voice muffled behind his cowl. "Glad you got here safe. While we were waiting for you, Karliah and I were talking."

"What's wrong?" Indis asked, confused by Brynjolf's strange tone.

"Nothing, nothing's wrong. We were just discussing who should lead the Guild once this is all over and we both agreed that it should be you."

Indis stood, blinking furiously, mouth agape after she heard Brynjolf's words. "What? No, what? What? Me? What? Brynjolf, it should be you!"

He laughed, amused by her shocked response. "Listen, lass. You know I don't like positions of power, and we agreed, there's no one more capable than you to lead the Guild."

"Lead the Guild," she repeated, absolutely dumbfounded. "What about Delvin, or Vex?"

"Lass, don't tell them I said this, but you're a far better thief. Plus, you're much more level-headed and intelligent. You've got what it takes."

"We can talk about this more," Karliah said, interrupting them. "But right now, we need to see if we can catch up with Mercer. Guildmaster, I'd be honored to follow you. Lead on."

* * *

Irkngthand was a massive, impressive maze of tunnels and chambers, all exemplar reminders of Dwemer craftsmanship. Maneuvering their way around hadn't been easy, given the sheer amount of foes present in the ruins. They were faced with centurions, spiders, spheres, and Falmer, but following the nervous Imperial's lead, the Nightingale trio successfully avoided the vast majority of them.

It had been hours, possibly more since they had entered the massive ruin, and their bones were weary with little rest, and they were all becoming irritated and cranky from exhaustion.

"Lasses, I think we're getting close," Brynjolf whispered excitedly as they crept along a narrow, earthen tunnel, leaving the two women with him extremely hopeful.

They exited the tunnel, finding themselves in a massive open chamber. There was a small pool of water with a couple of dead Falmer floating upside down in it, and the statue overlooking the pool was that of a massive snow elf, with two, empty gaping eye sockets where the Eyes of the Falmer had once been.

Brynjolf stormed forward, kicking at the water, furiously bellowing every single creative curse that came to his mind. Karliah fell to her knees, despondent as she begged Nocturnal for answers. Indis simply stood there, completely silent, staring up at the statue, trying to hide the small smile that her lips kept trying to form. "That magnificent bastard," she whispered, hoping her companions didn't hear.

Mercer Frey had escaped.

* * *

Ralof perched himself up on a boulder, attempting to shift about and settle down comfortably before pulling out the letter he had received. He had written Indis about a week ago, and had just received his first reply from her. The letter he had sent her was simple, discussing a recent happening in the Reach where a hagraven had stumbled into their camp. He had resisted the urge to tell her that he loved her, that he missed her, and that he still constantly thought of her, that he longed to feel her body next to his. Instead he had pushed those urges aside, saving them for another day, a day where he had finally regained her trust.

He smiled as he read the letter, eyes following her long, thin script. She spoke of the Guild, of returning to the Rift, and even addressed the tale he had told.

_Ha! A hagraven, you say? I almost married one of those, funny story, actually. I'll tell you sometime. Speaking of marriage, there's something I need to tell you—_

His heart was thudding in his chest as he read those words, frantically flipping the letter over to continue, his hopes rising.

_I know I should probably tell you in person, but this might be kinder, I think. Forgive me if it's not. Ralof, about a week ago, I got married. It's a bit of a difficult situation to explain through a letter, and we're doing our best to make it work. I'd like you to meet him, if you're feeling up to it, that is. Please consider it. I'd like to see my best friend again. _

_Love,_

_Indis_

He stared at the letter, mind furiously working to process what he had just read. Indis, married. To someone that was not him. Looking up, Ralof gazed numbly out over the Reach, sadness overwhelming him. The note slipped out of his hands and was sent tumbling down the rocky cliff below, swept away by a large gust of wind.

* * *

**Another update?! Somebody is very obviously on spring break... :)**


	41. Little Talks

Indis flipped through the ledger behind her desk, scribbling down a few notes as she checked the numbers. It had been almost two months since Mercer had escaped, but despite their failure to stop her traitorous predecessor, the Guild had been thriving. Shortly after they arrived back in Riften, they had performed the small ceremony that officially recognized her as Guildmaster, and she had been leading the Guild ever since. She and Teldryn had moved into Riftweald Manor after Maven Black-Briar handed her the deed, telling her it was a gift, since Mercer obviously wouldn't need it anymore. While she was handling business with the Guild, Teldryn passed the time disabling the numerous booby traps that the paranoid previous owner had left behind.

"Lass, we need to talk."

"Not now, Brynjolf," she said, turning a page in the ledger. "I'm busy, got important things to do. We'll speak another time."

"No, we won't," he said sternly, grabbing her arm. "That's all you've been saying for weeks. It's time for you to stop brushing me off now. We need to talk."

"Fine, what do you want to talk about?" Indis replied, snapping the book shut. He was right; she had been brushing him off. She felt as though it was her fault that Mercer got away, given how long she took to get back from Markarth.

"We need to talk about Mercer."

"What about him? He's gone, Brynjolf. We…we failed."

"I know," he replied, sighing loudly. "But something tells me we haven't seen the last of him."

She looked up, surprised, wondering if he had found the note that Mercer had left for her. "What makes you think that?"

Brynjolf looked at her nervously, giving a small cough before continuing. "Well, lass, everyone knows you and Mercer were…"

"Were what, Brynjolf? Enlighten me," she hissed, eyes narrowing.

"Close," he finished awkwardly.

"Define 'close'."

"Lass," he said with a sigh, running his fingers through his red locks. "Do I need to say it?"

"Say it."

"Fucking. Everyone knows you and Mercer were in a relationship."

She sighed, slamming the ledger down on the desk. "You want the truth, Brynjolf? We fucked once, right before he tried to kill me. That's it. Nothing else, no relationship. Is that why you came to talk? To see if the gossip that I was having an affair with Mercer was true?" she spat, feeling incredibly embarrassed, now understanding why some, such as Vex felt as though she didn't earn all of her promotions. She coughed awkwardly. Sex was _not_ something she ever wanted to talk about with Brynjolf.

He looked incredibly sheepish as he put one hand on top of hers. "Lass, well…the only reason I bring it up is because Karliah and I were talking. Mercer is still out there, and he could be anywhere. He hasn't caused any trouble for us so far, but we think that he might try and come after you."

Indis jerked her head up, looking at him in surprise. She hadn't ever told him, or anyone else, about the note Mercer had left behind, the one that said he would see her soon. It left her uneasy, but she didn't want anyone else to worry about it. "I'll be careful," she said finally, hoping this satisfied him.

"You'd best be. I could be wrong, but just to be on the safe side, keep your guard up. If you're traveling anywhere, let me know, and I'd be more than happy to go with you."

"Thank you. I appreciate the offer, but I think I'll be fine, Brynjolf. I think I'm going to take some time away, just a little break. I trust you to keep things running while I'm away."

"Of course, lass. Say, if you're not busy tonight…"

"No, Brynjolf. Just…no."

* * *

Indis rolled the black soul gem around in her hands, inspecting it before speaking. "Think I'll be as strong as an Orc bandit chief now?" she said, laughing a little bit.

"I don't know, my Thane. I'm not sure how these things work," Lydia replied, adjusting to a more comfortable position on the carriage seat. Indis had decided it was time to cure her vampirism, given that Isran probably wouldn't be too pleased if she showed up as a vampire, and she didn't want to cause any issues for Serana. The mace of Molag-Bal had proven to be quite useful for gathering souls, and once she had stumbled across a rare black soul gem, she knew it was time to find a cure. On their way to Morthal, she and Teldryn had stopped in Whiterun to drop off some of their accumulated junk, and Indis was surprised to find Lydia sitting in Breezehome, all alone. So, she had chosen to bring Lydia along, if only to let her get out of the house for a while.

"Who would build a city in the middle of a swamp?" Teldryn asked, surveying the dreary city of Morthal that the carriage had just rolled into. "Seems like a wretched place."

"You're the one who wanted to come to Skyrim so badly," Indis said, allowing him to help her down from the carriage. "Yet, all you ever do is complain about it."

"That is not true," he said, feigning indignation before growing serious. "Are you sure you don't want us to come with you?"

She shook her head. "I'll be fine. I think I'd rather do this alone. I'll come find you after everything is finished."

He leaned down, giving her one quick kiss before leaving for the inn. Indis hoisted her bag over her shoulder and took off to find Falion, ready to become human again.

* * *

"I don't like this, muthsera," Teldryn muttered angrily, leaning down to whisper in Indis' ear, his eyes never leaving Ralof, who was standing nervously nearby. After she had been cured in Morthal, they had decided to take some time to themselves and headed to Falkreath. He had been impressed with Lakeview Manor, unaware that his spouse was so incredibly wealthy. Teldryn was also surprised to learn that he now had a son. There had been some surprising adjustments to make, but he found that he was incredibly content with his new life in the pine forest. At least until Indis told him that _he_ would be visiting.

"It will be fine," she whispered back, her green eyes begging him to calm down. He had liked her well enough when she had vampirism, but ever since she was cured, he found that he especially liked the sight of her bright, green eyes and healthy, flushed cheeks and the feel of her heart beating again when she was close.

After a few moments of silence, he sighed. "Alright. Just watch him, alright?"

* * *

Indis and Ralof had gone down to the nearby shores of Lake Illinalta, settling down on a boulder that overlooked the water. "I'm glad you came. I didn't think you would."

"Of course I came," he said, slightly wishing he hadn't. The sight of her seemingly happy with someone else and human again had caused him considerable grief already, although he had been emotionally preparing himself for this ever since he received her letter. "You asked me to come, so I did."

She gave a small cough, turning to face him. "I'm guessing you're wondering how this, well…how this all happened."

"I am."

Indis took a deep breath before launching into the long, strange tale of meeting Sam, speaking of leaving a trail of drunken madness across Skyrim, the surprise marriage in Misty Grove, finishing with their meeting with Maramal. He felt his hopes rise after she told him about the possibility for divorce, for separation. Ralof found himself hoping, just the slightest bit, that they could still have a future together.

"So, you only have a few more months together?" he asked, hoping he didn't sound too eager.

"Well, actually…" Indis said, trailing off as she stared out over the water. "Tel and I have been talking about it a lot and we've decide that we…that we want to stay together and see this through. It wasn't exactly a planned situation, but we're going to make it work. We're not going to choose the option of separation."

He stared at her, taken aback, unable to find the words to say.

* * *

Ralof had planned on journeying back to Riverwood and staying with Gerdur and her family after his talk with Indis, but she insisted that he stay there at her manor. He was to share a room with Aventus, since there was an extra, empty child's bed. Ralof had walked down to the lake to wash off, not wishing to ruin any of the bedding with the filth he had accumulated from his travel. Lake Illinalta was a stone's throw away from the manor, and he had returned to the large house in no time.

Back inside the manor, he passed by Indis' room, pausing when he heard a noise come from within. It sounded like a moan, a very female moan, and it came right from her room, her room that she shared with her…husband.

Ralof stormed into the room he was going to be sleeping in, slamming the door loudly behind him, hoping he would be able to fall asleep quickly and get the unpleasant thought of Indis with another man out of his head.

* * *

"Oh, oh, oh, ohhh," Indis moaned, rubbing her sore foot that she had just smashed into the large chest at the foot of their bed. "Dibella's sweet tits, that _hurt_. And who is slamming that door? They're going to wake everybody else up."

"I don't know," Teldryn replied, turning another page in his book. "But I hope they stop soon. Damn irritating."

* * *

"I want to talk to you, n'wah," said Teldryn, leaning against the wall of Lakeview Manor, red eyes focused on Ralof. Indis, Stenvar, Lydia and Aventus had gone out for a walk the following morning, leaving Teldryn alone with Ralof. "Let's take a walk, shall we?"

Ralof followed the Dunmer man into the forest, wondering if he was about to be murdered. He had only met Teldryn once before at Fort Dawnguard, but now after more extended interactions with him, he could tell the man didn't care for him.

"As you can probably tell, I'm a little less than enthused to see you here," Teldryn said, sitting down on a rotting stump. "Especially after what you did to Indis. I just wanted to come out here and have a little chat, set a few things straight."

Ralof swallowed nervously. So he knew about _that_. He definitely was about to be murdered. "What did you want to talk about?"

"I think you know. It's obvious that you're still in love with her, and I'll be honest, I don't trust you around her one damn bit. I don't want to drag this out any longer than necessary, so I'll just make this fast. Stay the fuck away from my wife," he said calmly, inspecting his fingernails. "I hope that isn't going to be too difficult for you to handle."

"What…what do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean," Teldryn said, red eyes narrowing. "No more letters. No more visits. I know what your motives are, and well, be thankful that I'm giving you the option to just simply walk away."

"No more contact at all?" Ralof whispered, his heart thudding, breaking.

"No. And I'd prefer if you don't let Indis know that this is goodbye. She'd be rather upset."

"You can't do this," Ralof said, stepping forward, his face turning red. "You can't just tell me to—"

"Yes, yes I can. I took a vow to protect her, and that's what I intend to do. You are an obsessed, psychotic, poisonous, and pathetic man, and if you can't make yourself stay away, I'd be more than happy to make you. Now, get out of my sight, before I change my mind about letting you leave here alive."

* * *

Indis nervously fumbled with the tie of her midnight blue silk robe, making sure that it wouldn't slip open on the way back to her bedroom, given that she was wearing nothing underneath. She stopped in front of the mirror hanging up in the main hall of the house, tousling her hair a little bit before entering her room.

She made her way over to the side of the bed Teldryn was lying down on, stopping and untying her robe before throwing it wide open. Still engrossed in his book, he didn't look up. She cleared her throat, still holding her robe open, exposing her nude body.

"Do you mind?" he asked absentmindedly, turning another page, moving his hand up to scratch at the stubble on his face, still not looking up at her. "You're blocking the light."

Frustrated by his response, she shut her robe quickly, the motion catching his eye, allowing him to catch the briefest glimpse of bare skin. "Wait, what? Were you going to…? Did you want to…?" he trailed off, tossing his book aside to the floor.

"Yes," she huffed, climbing onto her side of the bed.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Teldryn offered apologetically, raising his hands. "Done reading. No more reading tonight. See? I'm done. All done. Ready for something much, much better."

"Too late," she muttered, pulling the blankets tight around her as she rolled away from him. "You lost your chance when I was standing there naked and you told me to move because I was blocking your reading light."

He sighed, placing one hand on her shoulder, giving it a small squeeze. They hadn't consummated their marriage, and he found himself hoping that tonight might be the night that they did so. "Indis? Indis? I'm sorry."

She rolled back over to look at him, giving a tiny shrug and a small smile. "It's fine."

"So, if you were still interested…"

"I am," she breathed, her pulse quickening, her pupils dilating.

"Wait, I have something," Teldryn said, getting up off the bed, rummaging in the end table on his side, pulling out an amulet. He purchased it when they were in Morthal, saving it for this moment. Climbing back into the bed, he tossed it to her.

"What's this?" she asked, looking at him puzzled.

"It's enchanted to protect against pregnancy. Wearing it ensures that any unwanted children don't happen," he replied, pausing slightly. "Unless…a child is something you want, muthsera."

Indis was silent for a few seconds, rolling the amulet around in her hands, carefully inspecting it before tossing it aside and pulling him down towards her.

* * *

Ralof smashed the pillow down over his ears, scowling at the ceiling as he tried to block out the sounds of Indis and her husband making love in the room directly next to the one he was sharing with Aventus.

_Gods, they're so damn loud_, he angrily thought to himself, sitting up to see if they had woken up Aventus as well. He was surprised to see that Aventus was still in a deep sleep, mouth agape, snoring slightly. His awful little pet, Potato the baby frostbite spider, was curled up beside him, fast asleep, making odd wheezing and clicking sounds. Ralof sighed, pushing the pillow around his ears down harder, hoping they were finished soon.

* * *

The next morning, Ralof gathered his belongings, ready to get out of Lakeview Manor and get back to the camp in the Reach. Being there had become uncomfortable, and he couldn't get Teldryn's words, his demands to leave Indis alone out of his head. It was time to go. He had every intention of staying away from Indis, just as Teldryn asked. It wasn't what he wanted, but he knew it would be easier if he cut off all contact with her.

"Hey, Ralof! Stenvar made everyone breakfast, and it's actually pretty good. We're all outside upstairs," Aventus said, poking his head into the room. Ralof sighed. So much for sneaking out unnoticed. "Come on, hurry!"

Ralof reluctantly trudged upstairs to the patio that everyone was out on. Lydia and Stenvar were talking, flirting, and Aventus was feeding Potato bits and pieces of his eggs under the table. His eyes fell to Indis, who hadn't seen him yet. She was sitting next to Teldryn, her body close to his. Her husband had his arm wrapped around her waist, and when Teldryn leaned over to brush away some of Indis' hair so he could kiss her neck, Ralof felt his stomach begin to churn.

"Ralof!" Indis called over to him, motioning for him to join. Ralof settled down across from Aventus, trying to ignore the many eyes of the spider on him as it looked to him for food.

Indis gave a loud yawn, covering her mouth. "Forgive me; I didn't get much sleep last night."

"I know," Ralof muttered, loud enough just for Teldryn to hear, who fixed him with a fierce glare.

"Are you going to go back to the Reach?" Indis asked him, oblivious to what he had just said. She took a bite of venison, chewing slowly as she watched him, waiting for a reply.

"I am, that's where I'm going to be for a while," he mumbled, aimlessly poking the food on his plate.

"You will write and visit, right?" she continued, looking up at him expectantly. "Won't you?"

He could feel Teldryn's eyes burning into him, waiting for his reply. "Of course," he answered, looking up to give her a weak smile. Once she had seemed happy and satisfied with his response, he quickly changed the subject. "What about you? Where will you go now?"

"Well," Indis began, taking a sip of her drink. "We still have unfinished business with the Dawnguard, but we've talking about it, and once we're done with Harkon we've decided to travel a bit. I do want to see Blacklight."

"Hammerfell!" interjected Aventus, finally looking up from the spider, reaching over to grab Teldryn's arm. "Pa said we could go to Hammerfell, and he said Potato could come, too."

Ralof wasn't sure how the conversation finished, because he slipped into a fog of jealousy and self-pity, wishing it was him sitting next to her, wishing it was him sharing a bed with her, wishing it was him that Aventus was calling 'Pa'. It just wasn't enough that Teldryn married her, now he was going to take her away from Skyrim.

Away from him.

* * *

**Welp, that was kind of a bummer for Ralof, the Bruno Mars of Skyrim, eh? Well, thankfully Indis has Teldryn and plenty of Dawnguard business to distract her from the fact that she's never going to see Ralof again!**


	42. The Last of It

Gerdur stared at her brother, frowning and furrowing her brow after she heard his request. After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, she crossed her arms and spoke. "No, absolutely not."

"Please, Gerdur," Ralof said, pushing the letter across the table towards her. "Just this once."

"Brother, no," she replied sternly, letting out a huge sigh. "Her husband asked, wait, no, _told_ you to stay away from her. Why can't you honor that request? I'm not going to go against her husband's wishes, and neither should you."

"But you said you've seen her pass through Riverwood a few times, and you said that she even asked about me. You said you've talked to her. I bet you could give it to her," he begged, hoping he could change Gerdur's mind. He hadn't sent any letters to Indis, out of fear for what Teldryn might do if he happened to intercept one.

"I have seen her, and talked to her a few times, and you know what? She's happy, Ralof. She's moved on. Her husband seems like a good man, too. Even if he is a Dunmer. She has asked how you were doing, but only as a friend, Ralof. Nothing more."

Ralof slouched down in his chair, making one last effort. "Please? Just one letter. Just one. I didn't even really get to say goodbye."

Gerdur's eyes softened and she reached across the table to take his hand in hers. "I know, and I'm sorry, but perhaps that's for the best. I wasn't going to tell you this, but I think you should know. Perhaps it will help convince you to leave her be."

"What is it?"

"I overheard her telling Camilla Valerius that she and her husband were trying to start a family, have a child of their own," Gerdur said, instantly regretting her choice to tell him; she had never seen his face fall so quickly, so completely. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything."

"It's…it's alright," he replied numbly, dumbstruck by the news. "I should probably be going now."

"You probably should," Gerdur said, rising along with him. "Try not to dwell on it, brother. Focus on the war at hand. That should help keep your mind off of things."

* * *

Isran had been in a deep sleep when his eyes suddenly snapped open, and he became very aware that someone was watching him. He quickly rolled over onto his other side, surprised to see Indis sitting cross-legged, chin propped on her fists, watching him with intent green eyes.

"I thought," she began, taking on a smug and teasing tone. "You said that sleep was for the weak."

"What are you doing here?" he grumbled, irritated not only by the fact that she had interrupted his sleep, but that she had remembered what he had said about sleep being for the weak. "You've been gone for a while. Months. Where have you been?"

She shrugged. "I've been busy. I had to take care of some business, got promoted to Guildmaster, oh, and I got married," she said with a smile, wiggling her bejeweled index finger close to his face.

"Well, I'll be damned," Isran said with a small laugh, slowly sitting up. "Who is the unlucky man? Or woman. I don't know what you prefer."

"Teldryn," she replied, getting up. "Have you seen Serana around? We're going to find the last Elder Scroll we need, and I think she wanted to come."

* * *

Serana was the only one who had any ideas about where to begin looking, and she suggested the mage's college. Winterhold was as far north in Skyrim as Indis had ever been, and after taking in the frozen, snowy wreck of what was once a great city, she hoped they would be able to leave soon. The College of Winterhold wasn't difficult to find at all, given that it was a massive, formidable stone structure; one of the few actually still standing.

"Halt!" called out an Altmer woman in blue mage's robes, stopping to block the entrance. "None shall pass."

"Who are you?" Serana called out, obviously irritated by the interruption.

"My name is Faralda. I'm stationed out here to make sure that only those worthy of entrance gain access to the college."

"Can't we just come in for a little bit? We aren't here to join; we just need to talk someone. We'll make it fast, promise," Indis said, hoping that the woman would just let them through.

The elf shook her head. "Sorry…but I don't think so. However, if each of you can pass a little test, I'll be able to let you through."

"What kind of test?" Teldryn asked, crossing his arms.

"Each one of you will have to cast a simple spell on this seal here," she said, gesturing to the stone seal behind her. "After that, you will be able to enter. Who wants to go first?"

Serana stepped forward, able to cast the ice spike spell with relative ease. She was followed by Teldryn, who was tasked with the novice flames spell. After he successfully cast the spell, Faralda's eyes turned to Indis. "For you, I think summoning a flame atronach would do."

Indis bit her lip, a nervous churning in her stomach. She had learned how to cast that particular spell a while back, but it wasn't something that she had ever practiced or used. Taking a deep breath, she readied herself, feeling the magicka well up inside her, making her first attempt at casting it.

Nothing happened.

She gave a nervous, mortified laugh. "Err, well, just let me try that again," she continued, attempting to cast the same spell again, wanting to wither away and vanish when she was unsuccessful again.

And again…and again.

* * *

"That was incredibly embarrassing," Indis muttered, eyes filling with humiliated tears after her inability to summon a flame atronach after several tries, leaving her unable to enter the College of Winterhold.

"It wasn't so bad," Serana said, laying a comforting hand on her shoulder. "That was a spell that you didn't really know. You'll get it next time, after a little bit of practice."

Indis turned to her husband, hoping he had some reassuring words for her as well, but was surprised and enraged to find him shaking with silent laughter. "This isn't funny," she hissed, the tears threatening to spill over.

"Admit it," he said, looking as though he was about to burst. "It is pretty funny. You should have seen your face."

"It is not," Indis snapped, tears running down her face, feeling incredibly emotional over something that she knew really wasn't a big deal. "I don't understand why you're being such an ass. I wish I _had_ married that hagraven instead of you!" she continued, storming off towards the entrance of the inn, slamming the door shut behind her.

Teldryn watched her leave, shocked by the sudden outburst, his red eyes pleading with Serana for help.

"Don't look at me for help," she said, raising her hands defensively. "I'm not the one who made his extremely moody wife cry by being a bastard. Don't drag me into this. You should go get her. She'll freeze to death out there without any protection."

He sighed, knowing that Serana was right. Finishing the rest of his mead in a few gulps, he headed out of the inn.

* * *

"Come back, I'm sorry."

"No," she said, still fuming, stomping through the snow, teeth chattering in the cold. Indis was quickly regretting storming out without her furs.

"Please, you're going to freeze to death out here. The last thing I want is a dead wife."

"Oh, really? Are you sure you wouldn't think that was funny, too?"

He grabbed her arm, pulling her back towards him so that they were now facing, his voice upset. "Do not say that, muthsera. You know I wouldn't."

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that," Indis said, her face falling. "Let's go back, alright? I'm freezing."

* * *

Back at the inn, Teldryn watched Indis sleep, comfortable in the warm bed after her venture outside. Something Serana said had stuck with him; the mention of Indis being extremely emotional and moody had gotten him thinking that perhaps…

"I need you to wake up," he said quietly, shaking her shoulder gently. She scowled at him before sitting up slowly.

"What do you need? I was asleep," she muttered groggily, swatting at him lazily with one hand.

"I'm sorry, I just need to check something," Teldryn whispered, flipping up the bottom of her shirt, placing on hand on her stomach hopefully. Indis watched with curiosity as a purple blue light formed in his hands, gasping in surprise when she glowed red.

"What was that?"

"That was a spell to detect life," he replied, lowering her shirt back down, feeling a great deal more disappointed than he had expected. Only Indis had registered, nothing else.

"To check to see if I was…? What brought that on?"

"Just curious," he replied, choosing to leave out that his curiosity was brought on by her recent bouts of extreme moodiness. "We've been trying to conceive a child for a while now, that's all."

"Oh. Well, am I?"

"No, you're not. No worries, it will happen when it happens. Finish your nap, then I'll help you work on your flame atronachs."

* * *

After a great deal of practice, Indis finally summoned a flame atronach, much to her relief and the satisfaction of Faralda, the woman guarding the entrance to the college. They were led across a tall, massive, stone bridge, gingerly treading across to avoid slipping on the broken, loose stone or the slippery ice. They arrived in the massive main courtyard, surveying their surroundings.

"So this is the fabled College of Winterhold," Teldryn drawled, Indis already dreading what she knew would be a snarky response. "_Amazing_," he finished, making his final word as loud and sarcastic as possible, attracting the attention and scowls of a few nearby mages.

"Shhh, shhh," Indis chided him. "Do you want someone to hear us?"

"Yes, actually. Might make this wretchedly dull place a little more interesting."

"Alright, alright you two, come on," Serana said with an exasperated sigh. "That woman said we would probably be able to find what we needed in the library. Let's go, I think she said it was right through here," she finished, pushing opening a set of doors, ascending the stairs with them close behind her. Their climb wasn't that long and soon they found themselves at the top of the stairs in a room with piles and piles of books.

"I think this is it," Serana said, looking around.

"Really? Are you sure we're not in the kitchens?"

Serana turned around to fix the Dunmer with a glare, who only laughed at her attempt to look angry and serious. Indis sighed. "I'm going to go talk to that man over there, all right? I'll see if he can help us. Wait here and try not to kill each other, please."

Indis strode over to the wooden counter that an orc was behind, neatly, carefully sorting and stacking various piles of books. Once she arrived, she cleared her throat, and he looked up at her.

"May I help you?" he asked disinterestedly, continuing his task at hand.

"Are you Urag gro-Shub? I was sent here, told that you could help me."

"That's me," he replied, his deep, gruff voice echoing throughout the chamber. "What do you need?"

"I need information on the Elder Scrolls."

"Elder Scrolls, huh? Well, I'll see what I can dig up for you. While you're waiting, don't mess the books, you hear? You hear?"

Indis took a seat in a chair by the counter, resisting her newfound urge to knock over a nearby stack of books. Instead, she waited patiently, tapping her fingers on her leg, which was bouncing up and down. She was getting ready to doze off when Urag returned, depositing two books in her lap. "Those are all I've got. Let me know if you need anything else," he said, walking away.

She flipped open the book on top, _Ruminations on the Elder Scrolls_, reading over the pages, her brow quickly furrowing in frustration. "What in the name of…what is this?" she asked, genuinely confused. She stood up and sought out Urag again, bringing the book with her. "What is this? This is absolute gibberish. I have no idea what any of this says."

He took the book out of her hands, fingers carefully, deftly turning through the pages. "Ahh, I see. This was written by Septimus Signus, who was an expert on the Elder Scrolls. He used to be a member of the college, actually. That was before he read a Scroll and went completely off the deep end. Left after that."

Indis sighed, scratching her head. Of course their most promising lead was nonsense spewed by a madman. "Do you know where I could find him? Maybe to get him to translate the book for me?"

He handed the book back to her. "He lives up north, on one of the small glacial islands to the northwest. It's not too far, but getting there might be a little dangerous or tricky. Take the book with you; he might be able to help you out with it. Good luck."

With the book clutched excitedly in her hands, she set off to find Teldryn and Serana, ready to seek out the madman in the glacier, and get this final Scroll.

* * *

Ralof scowled upwards at the dripping tent above him, sighing when a smear of ink spread across his map when he tried to wipe the water away. He had returned to the Reach, taking Gerdur's words completely to heart, throwing himself fully into the Stormcloak's campaign in the western portion of Skyrim. His perseverance, commitment, and dedication had proven to be quite fruitful; he still thought of Indis, although not nearly as much, and he had recently been promoted to captain of the Reach camp because of his hard work.

Currently, he was working on the map laid out on the great table in his tent, attempting to update it with the information that his scouts had brought in. However, the massive rainstorm leaking through the tent was making this incredibly difficult, if not impossible. He sighed, beginning to roll the map up, when the sound of screaming, combined with the crackle of lightning, the crashing of blade on blade interrupted him. He quickly tossed the map aside, and was reaching for his warhammer when a word shouted outside the tent made his blood run cold.

Thalmor.

* * *

**Up next is an entire chapter dedicated to the awesomeness of Septimus Signus, Hermaeus Mora, and Blackreach! Thanks for reading! :)**


	43. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The Breton man leaned against the stone wall, surveying the city of Daggerfall below, letting out an uninterested sigh as he watched the people bustle below. He had sold the Eyes for a pretty profit, surprised at the immense amount of gold that the flawless gems had earned him. He had chosen to retire to his homeland, content to spend the rest of his days absurdly wealthy and utterly bored. Well, he _had_ been content to do so, at least until he had learned that she was alive, somehow surviving the attempt he had made on her life.

It was folly, complete utter madness to even consider it, and he knew it. He had accomplished escape, somehow managing to avoid the murderous wrath of the Guild. He knew that they would still be looking for him, and that returning to Skyrim for the very reasons he desired could very well prove to be his downfall. Even with this in mind, his curiosity, his boredom, his self-destructive nature won out, and he found himself back inside his bedroom, packing a large, worn satchel with what he would need for his journey.

Mercer Frey was returning to Skyrim.

* * *

Their feet crunched along the thick chunks of broken ice that formed a jagged pathway across the Sea of Ghosts towards the glacier they had been directed towards. The three stopped at the edge, looking down at the frigid water below. Jumping into the water wasn't really an option; unless freezing to death was the goal.

"How are we supposed to get across?" Indis asked, pulling her furs tighter around her body. Growing up in Bravil, she was used to a lot more warmth.

"No idea. Although…" Teldryn trailed off, scratching his chin as he surveyed the area. "If we could get one of these larger, sturdier chunks to break loose we might be able to use it as a raft."

"I don't know," Serana said, frowning slightly.

"That sounds like a terrible idea. How are we supposed to move it?" Indis asked, watching him as he kicked at a large, frozen piece of ice, attempting to separate it from the others.

"It will be fine," he insisted, motioning for them to climb on. "Get on."

Serana and Indis looked at each other, both shrugging before they clambered onto the piece of ice. Teldryn was about to step on to join them when the ice suddenly broke away, aided by a small wave, and Serana and Indis were swiftly carried out into the middle of the Sea of Ghosts, leaving the Dunmer man behind.

* * *

He knew he shouldn't laugh, especially after the previous day's fiasco with the flame atronach, but he couldn't help himself. Teldryn watched as the two furious women were swept out into the middle of the body of water, away from any nearby sheets of ice.

They were yelling at him, probably launching all kinds of curses and obscenities his way, but the strong gusts of wind were carrying their words away.

"I'll go find a boat," he shouted, unsure if they heard him as he walked away, clutching his aching sides, knowing that he would later pay for his amusement.

* * *

"What is he doing?" Serana asked angrily, pointing at Teldryn, who was now walking away from them. "He laughed at us, and then he just left. If we see him again, if we don't die out in the middle of nowhere, I'm going to kill him."

"No, no you're not," Indis replied, just as frustrated as her friend. "Because _I'm_ going to be the one to murder him. How could he just leave us out here?"

"I don't know, unless this was all a part of some plan he had concocted."

"You think he pushed us out on a piece of ice to get rid of us?"

"Who knows. I heard him ask the barmaid at the Frozen Hearth Inn for more mead, because he was going to need it, travelling with two moody, nagging women."

Indis sighed and scowled. "He said that?" She really was going to kill him once he came back.

* * *

Teldryn arrived back a short time later with a boat, rescuing two very cold, angry women from a floating chunk of ice. They had agreed to not speak to him once he returned, and they fixed him with silent, stony glares as he rowed towards the glacier that had a small door on it.

"Neither of you will speak to me?" he sighed, helping them out of the boat. "Such is the price for my amusement, I suppose."

"I told you he was laughing at us," Serana whispered, leaning over to whisper to Indis, tossing a fierce glare over her shoulder. Indis whispered something unintelligible back, pushing the door to the madman's residence open. He sighed, following them inside, down an icy path to a small room below.

There was a lone elderly man flitting about in the room, pacing back and forth in front of a large, metal mechanism muttering to himself.

"Hello!" Indis called out, her voice leaving an odd echo behind in the ice. "Are you Septimus Signus?"

The pacing man turned and stopped, giggling as he dipped into a low curtsy. "That is what some call me, that is what some call myself, heh heh."

"Alright then, I'll take that as a yes. Oh, and, err, you can get up now," Indis replied, now understanding what Urag had meant when he said Septimus 'went off the deep end'. "I have this book you wrote. I was told that you could help us find an Elder Scroll. The Dragon one, to be exact."

"Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls," he mumbled, finishing with a loud cackle. "The Empire gathered them all to lock them away in their towers, oh, oh, or so they thought. Heh, heh. At least the ones of which they knew. The ones they saw, the ones they saw. But there was one! Hidden away, forgotten by all, a secret kept by the Dwemer. But I…" Septimus trailed off with a sigh, wriggling his fingers at Indis. "I cannot go to it, for I have arisen beyond its grasp."

"Where is it?" Serana asked, nonplussed by the man's odd behavior. "Tell us where to find it."

"Oh, oh, the Scroll. Heh. Heh, heh. Well, it is here. On this plane. Mundus," continued gleefully, tugging at his ears. "Tamriel. On the cosmological scale, everything is quite nearby. Hee."

"That is incredibly unhelpful," Indis sighed, hoping their madman wouldn't turn out to be a dead end.

"Do you see this masterwork of the Dwemer?" the madman continued, grabbing Indis' arm, dragging her over towards the large object he had been pacing in front of. "Inside lies their greatest knowings, I am clever, oh so clever, but Septimus is an idiot fool of a child compared to the Dwemer. Lucky, lucky us, for they left behind their own way of reading an Elder Scroll, sequestered away in the depths of Blackreach. If you were help Septimus, oh yes, help him, he would help you."

Indis smiled, turning to the man, happy that they were finally getting somewhere. "What do you need to have us do?"

He scurried over to a shelf, snatching two objects off of it, shoving them in Indis' hands as he leered up at her, blinking furiously. "Under deep. Below the dark. The hidden tower. Tower Mzark. Alftand. The point of puncture, of first entry, of the tapping. Delve to its limits, and Blackreach lies just beyond. But not all can enter there. Only Septimus knows the hidden key to loose the lock to jump beneath the deathly rock. "You look to your left, you see one way. You look to your right, you see another. But neither is any harder than the opposite. But the Elder Scrolls... they look left and right in the stream of time. The future and past are as one. Sometimes they even look up. What do they see then? What if they dive in? Then the madness begins," he finished, giving a small little jump as he turned away from them, his attention focused back on the Dwemer lockbox.

* * *

"Skooma withdrawal," Teldryn said, fingers gently pulling open the eyes of the hostile, enraged Khajiit that had just attacked them. "See the eyes? That certainly explains why he was acting that way."

"Do you think he killed the others?" Indis asked nervously, eyes flicking to another dead Khajiit nearby. They had encountered a few dead since they had entered the ruins of Alftand, most likely some crew members of an expedition they had discovered had been exploring, searching for Blackreach as well. The camp outside had been seemingly abandoned, and they had stumbled across a few dead inside that were obviously not killed by accident.

"I don't know," Serana replied, flipping through the expedition journal that they had opted to pick up. "But it looks like whoever was in charge of this was pretty serious about finding Blackreach for themselves. We'd best tread carefully."

* * *

"This hasn't been so bad!" Indis said cheerfully, removing her blade from the Falmer she had just slain. They had been creeping their way through Alftand for hours, avoiding Falmer, making their way through twisting tunnels and down long ramps, even discovering a few more dead expedition members on the way.

"If you say so," Teldryn replied with a shrug. "The Falmer are loathsome creatures. The sooner we get out of here, the better."

"I feel bad for them," Indis admitted, stepping over the dead creature, following them both up the nearby set of steps, watching as Serana pulled a lever to lower the spikes blocking their path. "They sought refuge with the Dwemer, and they were betra—"

Whatever Indis was going to say about the Falmer was interrupted as a Dwemer Centurion sprang to life, fixing them with its cold, metallic gaze.

"You were saying," Teldryn gasped, readying flames at his hands as he dodged a slow, strong swipe of the Centurion.

"Never mind, just never mind," Indis replied, releasing an arrow, thanking the Divines that she had purchased some Elven arrows before they had made the journey to find Blackreach.

The automaton thudded forward, swiping at them with its armored arms, shooting out jets of boiling steam. The three ducked out of the way, but Indis was too slow, the edges of the steam catching her bare arm, sending sharp, intense, needlelike pain shooting through her arm. She ducked behind a pillar, clutching at her arm, trying to raise her bow again, frustrated once she found that with her injured arm, she couldn't use it. Her arm was too weak. The pain was becoming too much to handle, and she found herself slipping into unconsciousness.

* * *

"How are you feeling?" Serana asked, watching Indis as her eyes slowly fluttered open.

"I actually feel alright," she responded, surprised that her arm felt a little tender, but nothing more. "I remember the Centurion, but what happened? Where are we now?"

"We've actually found our way into Blackreach," Teldryn said, sitting down next her. "You missed the last two expedition members murder each other right in front of the entrance. There was an old field laboratory right outside the entry. That's where we're at now."

"We made it to Blackreach?" Indis asked excitedly, feeling her hopes rise, happy that they were getting so close. "That means we're almost to the Scroll, right?"

Serana and Teldryn glanced at each other, an odd look passing in between them. "Actually, no…nowhere close," Serana said, patting Indis' non-injured shoulder. "You'll see why soon. We decided that it would be best to rest tonight and then continue on tomorrow. We'll need our strength. I'll be in the building next door," she finished, heading out of the laboratory, leaving Indis and Teldryn alone.

"Did you heal me?" Indis asked, gingerly touching the tender red flesh of her arm.

"Yes. I've learned that you're…quite prone to injury. Part of the reason I've learned so much restoration magic."

Indis unbuckled her armor, her tired, stiff joints protesting loudly at the movement, making her glad that they were going to get some rest before moving on. She tossed her armor aside, setting to work on removing her smallclothes, preferring to sleep in the nude ever since she discovered that Teldryn had an incredibly high body temperature, and she would wake up drenched in sweat if she was wearing clothing.

"What is this place?" she asked, stretching out on the bed in the room, watching him inspect various alchemical ingredients.

"Some kind of laboratory. Belonged to a fellow named Sinderion. He was investigating something called crimson nirnroot, trying to collect samples of it for his experiments."

"Interesting," she replied, adjusting herself so that she was in a more suggestive pose. "You know, we're all alone in here now," Indis continued, her voice going husky and low. "We could consider this our honeymoon. We haven't taken one."

"True, Teldryn said, beginning to remove his own armor. "Although I had always imagined that once we did go on one, there would be less Falmer. Some Falmer, obviously, just not this many."

She laughed, pulling his warm body down towards hers, twirling her fingers in his chest hair. "I'm sorry I've been such a pain to deal with lately," she sighed.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Teldryn lied, hoping he sounded convincing.

"Liar," she scoffed, jabbing his chest playfully before turning serious. "It's just that…well, this isn't what I came to Skyrim to do, that's all."

"What do you mean?"

"This rescuing humanity from evil vampires wasn't really what I had hoped I would be getting myself into. Saving the world isn't really my thing," she said, giving a small shrug. "I'd be content to settle down in Riften, quietly run the Guild, and well, start a family now that we have Riftweald. Or, we could move into Breezehome. It's a little cozier, but it's in Whiterun. Something quieter, something calmer."

"And that's exactly what we'll do after this is all over," he replied, brushing some hair out of her eyes. "I didn't know you had a home in Whiterun."

"I bought it after the jarl made me a Thane," she replied, pulling away from Teldryn as she felt a stabbing sensation of guilt in her gut, reflecting on what she had done with him.

"What's wrong," he asked, startled by her sudden change in behavior.

"I…I need to tell you something," she began, taking a deep breath as she sat up, readying herself for what could be a very unpleasant reaction from her husband. "I slept with Jarl Balgruuf."

"So?"

"It was…it was after we got married, right after we got transported back to Whiterun. I went to talk to him, and I…I ended up sleeping with him. I'm so sorry, I've felt so terrible, I know I shouldn't have done it, and I should have told you sooner," she said, refusing to meet his eyes as she wiped away tears. "I haven't done it since, and I'm not going to. I fully intend to be faithful to you and only you, and next time I'm in Whiterun, I'll be letting the jarl know that our relationship will be the professional one between a jarl and thane. I hope that you can forgive me."

He stared at her, rubbing the stubble on his chin. He had his suspicions when she returned to the Bannered Mare flustered and distant, and his thoughts on the matter were only confirmed during their dinner with the man. Teldryn watched the tears stream down her face, realizing that she was feeling incredibly guilty and repentant, and it had taken a great deal for her to confess. "It's alright," he replied simply, hoping one day that he would muster the courage to confess he had been the reason for Ralof's absence and silence, something she had been wondering about. "I'll admit it doesn't bother me much, given the…unusual circumstances at the time. Neither of us was particularly thrilled by our situation, so I don't blame you. All is forgiven. Now, given that our efforts thus far to produce a child have been unsuccessful, I'd say we try again right now."

* * *

Indis was fast asleep in Teldryn's arm, the light from the nearby lanterns casting a golden sheen across the sweaty film on her skin, and she was softly snoring. He moved a strand of sweaty hair that was plastered to her forehead away, knowing that they had to wake soon and attempt to find the Scroll in Blackreach. After allowing her to sleep a little while longer, he shook her awake, and they both groggily put on their armor again.

As soon as they stepped outside of the library, Indis stopped, eyes wide as she surveyed the vast cavern around them. "Well, now I know why you and Serana said we were nowhere close."

* * *

The trio was kneeling down, crouched behind a long stone bench, watching Falmer silently mill about a group of humans who were dressed in rags, quietly sitting on several benches, watching a few Falmer at the front.

"What do you think they're doing?"

"It looks like they're just sitting there, not doing anything at all. Are they some kind of servants to the Falmer?"

"I think so," Teldryn whispered. "Blackreach is an odd place."

"It is," Indis said, eyes never leaving the curious happenings below. "But I kind of like it."

* * *

Blackreach was a place of pure madness. Once the novelty of the beautiful glowing mushrooms and the vast expanse of the city had worn off, all three were growing quite restless. They had wandered for hours, days, losing track of time, growing more irritated, more agitated as they spent more time in the green, eerie glow of the subterranean city.

"We're going to die here," Indis gasped, falling to her knees, wanting to scream after they found themselves at the same fork in the path that they had been on earlier. "We'll die here, and your father will win, and he'll destroy the sun. That's how it's going to go. We're shit saviors of the world. The end."

"If I hear one more piece of fucking nirnroot chiming, I may just fucking lose it," Teldryn growled, walking over to the nearby body of water, viciously ripping a chunk of crimson nirnroot out of the ground, looking pleased once the source of the noise had stopped.

"It'll be fine, it'll be fine," Serana said, wringing her hands, her voice thick with worry as she watched them with nervous eyes. "We'll get out of here soon. We won't die. We won't die in here…I think. I hope."

* * *

"That tower…that tower looks different. I don't think we've been in there yet. We should look, I have a good feeling about it," Serana said, beginning to jog towards a tower. Indis shrugged, starting off after her. She wasn't sure if Serana was correct; everything in Blackreach had begun to look the same after a while.

Serana pushed the doors open, wiping sweat off her brow, leaving a streak of dirt smeared across her forehead before turning to them. "This might be it."

They passed through the door, walking down a hallway, following Serana through yet another door, and all three stopped at gasped at the sight before them. There was a brightly lit room, with an enormous Dwemer contraption in the center, with various golden spheres and lenses hanging about in the air.

"Glad you trusted your intuition, Serana," Indis said, walking up behind her companions towards the top of the ramp.

"Look, yet another unfortunate explorer," Teldryn sighed, squatting down by a skeleton and gently removing the worn leather journal from its hands. He stood up, focused on the material in the journal as he read, turning a page occasionally. "It looks like this is something called the Oculatory. He has some ideas in here on how to get those lenses aligned properly. Looks like we need that Lexicon that the madman gave us, too."

After using the tips supplied in the journal, poking various buttons, and a little bit of luck, the lenses surrounding the Scroll finally clicked into place and it was revealed to them. They all stood there silent for a few seconds, unable to believe that they had finally succeeded.

Indis grabbed the runed Lexicon from the pedestal, waiting for Serana to return from grabbing the Scroll, finally speaking upon her friend's return.

"Now, who wants to get the fuck out of Blackreach? I do."

* * *

"Is this what you needed?" Indis asked Septimus, depositing the altered Lexicon in front of him. They had returned to his outpost after finally making it out of Blackreach, choosing to use a boat to reach him this time.

"Oh, ho, yes, yes. This is it!" he replied reading over the runes. "Do you know how I found this? Do you know how I solved the puzzle?"

"How?" Indis asked wearily, wishing he would just let her leave. She had helped him out, and she was ready to be done.

"With the aid of Hermaeus Mora, of course, of course," he whispered. "He showed me things, told me things, brought me here. But he will not open this for me, and it is maddening. But this cannot open yet, not yet. The blood of Dwemer is needed to open my puzzle, to find the glory inside. But alas," Septimus continued. "The Dwemer have all died, they are long gone. But…but, perhaps there is a trick! A solution of blood, a mixture of their descendents. Perhaps the blood of Altmer, Dunmer, Bosmer, Orismer, and Falmer can open it. Yes, yes. Take this."

Indis sighed with irritation when he shoved yet another object into her hands. "I take it I'm supposed to find all of these different types of blood, harvest them, and bring them back to you?" she asked, frowning when he nodded and shooed her towards the ramp that led to the entrance.

She placed the extractor into her bag and climbed the ramp towards the door, ready to meet Teldryn and Serana in the boat. She had no intention of going out of her way to find him this blood. It would happen when it happened.

Indis stopped suddenly in the middle of the ramp, unable to believe what she was seeing before her. Where the door to the outdoors once had been was a wretched, writhing abyss of grotesque eyes and tentacles, all intently focused on her.

"_Come closer…bask in my presence,"_ the creature said, its voice deep, slow, smooth, slimy.

"Wh-who are you?" she stuttered, unconsciously taking a step backwards.

"_I am Hermaeus Mora, guardian of the unseen, and knower of the unknown. I have been watching you, mortal. You are most impressive. So impressive in fact, that I would choose you to be my new emissary. Your continuing aid renders Septimus obsolete. I am almost finished with him, ready to replace him with you."_

"What do you need?" she asked, already having calmed down the initial shock.

"_Complete the task he has assigned you, bring the blood back, for it is the key to open the box, the key to obtaining my prize within. Once it is open, he will have exhausted his usefulness, and I will need Septimus no more. I will be waiting, mortal."_

Indis watched as the writhing mass slowly shrunk and disappeared, leaving no trace that Hermaeus Mora had been there at all. "Damn needy Daedra," she muttered to herself, shaking her head.

* * *

"So, you can't see anything? Nothing at all?" Indis said, wiggling her hands in front Dexion's face. They had been surprised to find that Dexion, who had eyes that functioned just fine when they left Fort Dawnguard, was now completely blind.

"I am," the Moth Priest lamented, adjusting the blindfold he was wearing. "Which means I cannot read the Elder Scrolls you have brought. However, there is another way they can be read."

"What's that?" Serana asked, crossing her arms, looking more than a little irritated with the fact that he had gone and made himself blind.

"The Ritual of the Ancestor Moth. Come, let us go sit somewhere, and I will tell you all you need to know about it. This is the way that the Scrolls will have to be read."

* * *

The trio trudged up to the doors of Lakeview Manor, opting to stay there overnight before continuing onwards to Ancestor's Glade.

"You're back," Stenvar said, looking up in surprise when they entered. "I, uhh, wasn't expecting you back for a while."

"Lydia is here, isn't she?" Indis replied, giving him a knowing wink as she slid into a chair at the large dining table. Lydia and Stenvar had hit it off when Indis had brought her along, and she was pleased to know that her housecarl wasn't sitting alone in Breezehome, guarding all of her junk. "You don't need to worry about it; she can stay here as long as she wants. Anything interesting happen while we were gone?" she asked, giving Teldryn a nod as he went into their bedroom.

"A few bandits showed up, but they were no match for us. Tried to steal the horses. Didn't succeed, obviously. Aventus' little pet, Potato has…grown. Pretty big now. Just thought I'd give you a heads up. I know you're not too fond of those things."

"Too many eyes," Indis said with a shudder, taking a bite of sweet roll. She didn't care for frostbite spiders, but she'll never forget how excited he had been when he had come up to her, with the horrible little thing wriggling in his arms, begging her to let him keep it. After she had watched it take on a group of skeevers to protect him, she decided to do her best to tolerate his companion. "Anything else?"

"Oh yeah," Stenvar replied, pushing a letter across the table. "This came while you were out. I don't know what it is, didn't read it. Night."

* * *

Teldryn had crawled into bed and was on the verge of falling asleep when he was jerked fully awake by the sound of a woman sobbing loudly, uncontrollably. He climbed out of bed, quickly pulling on a shirt, searching for the source of the sound, determining that it was outside, upstairs. He exited onto the rooftop patio and found Indis slumped against the railing at the edge of the patio weeping hysterically.

"What's wrong?" he whispered, sitting down across from her, taking her hands in his.

"It's…it's Ralof," she sputtered, looking up at him with bloodshot eyes that were swimming, overflowing with tears.

Briefly, Teldryn was overtaken by rage, absolutely furious as he assumed that Ralof had attempted to contact her. When he spoke, his voice was surprisingly calm. "What about him?"

"He's…he's dead," she choked out, wiping at her eyes, clutching a crumpled letter in one of her hands. "Th-there was an attack, a raid by the Th-Thalmor on their camp in the Reach. No-no one survived. He-he's gone, Teldryn. I-I'm never going to se-see him again. Ra-Ralof is d-dead, and I never got to tell him...I never got to tell him…" she trailed off, unable to speak any longer.

He reached forward, wiping away the tears that were streaming down her face before pulling her forward into his lap, wrapping his arms around her. She buried her face in his chest, continuing to sob for what seemed like an age, finally crying herself to sleep. Teldryn rose awkwardly, attempting to avoid waking his exhausted, grieving, sleeping wife, carrying her back into the house, and finally gently depositing her in bed. She didn't even stir when he removed her worn, dusty armor and tucked the soft linen sheets around her. Indis had fallen into a deep sleep, breathing heavily, exhausted from her heartbreak. After lying down next to Indis, he watched her, reaching out to trace her lips, brush a thumb across her cheek, and dust his calloused fingers across her freckled shoulders. Letting out a sigh, he leaned forward briefly to kiss her forehead, feeling his own kind of pain due to the news of Ralof's death. Teldryn had realized that even if they did continue to make this work, even if she did grow to love him in a way, even if they did have children someday, her heart never would fully belong to him and she would never love him completely, for there was one problem.

He wasn't Ralof.

* * *

**Whaaaat?! All kinds of stuff is happening! Mercer is coming back to Skyrim, what do you think he wants? What does that bastard have up his sleeve? And what do you think Indis never got to tell Ralof! **

**Only a few more chapters to go until this thing is COMPLETE! :D**


	44. Leave

A loud crack of lightning and the thunder that rattled the windows of Lakeview Manor stirred Teldryn from his restless slumber. He hadn't able to sleep, due to the guilty thoughts that plagued his mind all night, the regret over what he had done burning to his core. He knew that this wasn't the best time, and that perhaps he should wait until she was calmer, until she had time to mourn Ralof, but he couldn't hold it in any longer.

"I need to talk to you," he whispered, gently shaking her awake, brushing her hair out of her face.

"Wha…what is it?" she asked, voice thick with fatigue, blinking slowly as she looked up at him.

"There's something you should know. About Ralof."

"What about Ralof?" Indis whispered, pulling the blanket up to cover her bare chest. "What is it?"

"The reason why he hasn't been writing or visiting is…is I told him not to. I told him to stay away from you, to never contact you again."

She stared at him, eyes wide with disbelief as she pulled away from him, her face absolutely furious. "Why would you do something like that?" she whispered, the pain and betrayal apparent in her voice. "How could you?"

"I was doing what I thought was best for you, for us," he insisted, reaching out to her again. "It was obvious when he came here that he still loved you and I did not trust him around you."

"Is that what it was? Funny, because it sounds like you don't trust me," she spat at him tearfully, as she tugged on a nightshirt. "Do you know what I told him when we went down to the lake together? Do you?"

He shook his head, remaining silent as he cast his eyes downward.

"I told him that I was going to be with you, and that was what I wanted, that I had made my choice, but I'm guessing you just thought I was going down there to fuck him. Because of you, that was the last time I saw him or spoke him, and now he's dead."

Her words hit him in the gut, and he sat back down on the bed, burying his face in one hand. She was right, he had been worried about the possibility that she would reunite with Ralof, given that she had insisted she had time to speak to the man alone. "Muthsera, I was only doing what I thought was—"

"What you thought was best? Why couldn't you have just talked to me instead of making these assumptions, deciding things for me? I thought I could trust you," she choked out, tears now streaming down her face in full force. "I think…I think it would be best for you to leave. I want you to go."

* * *

"Well, I think this is where we're supposed to go," Serana said, pointing up the small mountain path to what looked like a cave's entrance. She and Indis had set out early the following morning, and Indis was thankful her friend didn't mention or ask about Teldryn's absence.

"I suppose," Indis replied, finger running along the map, tapping the X. "This looks like where Dexion told us to go. Shall we head inside? I'm ready to get out of this damn snow."

They passed through the entrance, finding themselves in a large, vast cavern, which, if they were being perfectly honest with themselves, wasn't all that impressive.

"So, is this the place? It doesn't look like very much to me," Serana grumbled, kicking at a nearby patch of Blisterwort. "I swear, if this trip was for nothing, and we wasted all of this time, I'm going to have some words for your friend Dexion when we get back."

"Friend? Just because of that one time…" Indis trailed off with a sigh, leading the way further into the cavern, sincerely hoping that this wasn't going to turn out to be a wasted trip. Walking past moss-covered walls, fallen, rotting trees, they finally made their way to the center of the cavern, where there were several large, flowering trees dispersed among the pools of water.

"Now this is more like it," Serana gasped, eyes wide as she took in the glade. "Wow. Just look at this place. I don't think anyone has been in here in centuries. I don't think there's any other place like it in Skyrim. It's just absolutely beautiful, just…breathtaking."

"Well, I'm glad this place lives up to your lofty standards, milady," Indis said with a mocking bow, ducking out of the way when Serana threw an awkward punch at her. "You're right, though. This is gorgeous. I've never seen anything like it before. It makes everything else seem like it's worth it, you know?"

Following the path to the center of the glade, they passed by several hot springs, enjoying the rush of warmth the steamy, bubbling water gave off. Indis was having a difficult keeping her eyes on the stone steps ahead of her; instead, she found herself looking up in awe at the tall, lush pines, the dusty light filtering in, and the hawks and various insects fluttering and flying overhead. The path continued downwards, feet splashing through the shallow water, veering off towards the right, and they passed underneath several crude stone arches before arriving at their destination. There was a stone structure, an odd half circle of stone with a smaller, round circle resting on top of it. Within the smaller circle was what appeared to be a curved blade with two handles on either side.

"I believe that would be our draw knife," Serana said, watching as Indis reached out and gingerly removed the floating knife. "Do you remember what Dexion said we need to do?"

"Yes, I wrote it all down," Indis replied, digging in her satchel with one hand for several seconds, smiling triumphantly as she held up a piece of crumpled paper. "Look, I didn't even lose it, and you can still read what it says."

"I am so very proud of you," the vampire replied, shaking her head as she took the piece of paper. "We have the knife, that was pretty easy…now all we need to do is track down one of those Canticle trees."

Indis walked over to some nearby vegetation, placing her hand on the trunk of a tree, a tall, twisted thing with thousands of tiny pink blooms. "I think this is one. The rest of the trees in here look like pines. What do I need to do?"

"Use that knife to scrape off some bark."

Indis set to work, dragging the sharp, crescent shaped blade down the side of the tree, pausing only briefly to brush some fallen petals out of her hair. After a minute or so of scraping, she had harvested a good amount of bark, and she turned to Serana, waiting for whatever was next.

"I sure hope that these moths like the bark as much as Dexion says they would. Otherwise, I'm not sure what we'll need to do."

"What happens next?" Indis asked, swatting at the moths that had started to flutter and swoop around her. _Insects, why did it have to be insects? Why couldn't we attract a bunch of puppies to read the Scrolls?_

"Haha, look at you! I think those things have taken a liking to you. If I'm not mistaken, you're starting to glimmer."

"I wish they weren't," she replied, hoping that none of the moths actually touched her. "What do I do now? I don't think I have enough moths."

"Run around, go see if they follow you. I see some up here, come on," Serana said, taking off at a light jog up a nearby set of steps, motioning for Indis to follow her.

"Serana, they're touching me," Indis whined, grimacing and holding back a shriek every time a light, papery wing brushed across bare skin, feeling more nervous as more and more of the Ancestor moths began to flock around her.

"Stop your whining. I think you have enough, now. Now, the next thing to do is stand in that column of light and read the Scroll."

Groaning as more of the awful little creatures brushed against her, Indis trotted down the stone stairs after Serana, taking her position in the column of light, accepting the Scroll that Serana passed to her. "Alright, here goes," Indis muttered, unrolling the Blood Scroll, taking in a sharp breath as her vision briefly blurred before sharpening again, watching as the contents of the Scroll shimmered in the air before her, lines, shapes, figures drawn out in bright, silvery light. She fumbled briefly as she took the following Scroll from Serana, repeating the process, watching as the same thing happened. After reading the third and final scroll, she watched the glowing lines in the air rearrange themselves, with some fading, while others burned brighter, pulsing in the light. _A map_, Indis thought to herself excitedly, moments before her vision went completely white.

* * *

Indis blinked slowly, eyes adjusting to the light, surprised to find herself lying on the warm stone of the glade. "What happened?"

"You passed out after reading the Scrolls. I'm glad you're alright," Serana said, helping her to her feet. "Almost thought I lost you there. You…you went as white as the snow."

"It was a bit odd, but I think I'm fine. Thank you for asking."

"I never trusted those damn Scrolls. Who knows what they could have done to you?" Serana began angrily. "Just look at what they did to Dexion. But…did you find out anything about the bow? The bow from the prophecy…do you know where we can find it?"

"It's in a place called Darkfall Cave. That's where we need to go next."

* * *

A large glob of ink dripped down on the page, spreading out slowly across the paper, the dark black liquid seeping through the parchment. Teldryn sighed in exasperation, dipping the quill back into the inkwell. He hadn't written a damn thing, instead just letting the ink drip all over the page as he tried to think of the right words to say. It was always like this when he attempted to write her. He crumpled the parchment into a tiny ball, throwing it into the nearby fire, letting out a groan of frustration. One day, he'd find the right words to say.

"What're you doing?" asked Glover Mallory, taking the seat across from him, popping open a bottle of Sujamma. "Trying to write another letter?"

"Yes, trying. That's the key word here," Teldryn groaned, gratefully accepting the bottle that Glover pushed towards him, fatigue and alcohol making him a little more talkative and open. "It's been what's seemed like an entire age and I haven't heard a peep from her. She's the only thing that's been on my mind. I guess I think about her all the time."

"Have you sent anything?" Glover asked curiously. "You know, she's Guildmaster. I could write my brother, ask how she's doing and see if he has any news about her."

Teldryn shook his head. "I haven't sent anything, and I don't think I will. I should leave her alone. I've caused enough trouble, and I know I'm entirely to blame. It kills me that I've probably made her hate me. She's probably completely erased me from her life by now. Aventus, too. They'll be better off without me. Happier."

"Now don't go sayin' things like that. I'm sure she hasn't moved on," Glover replied, trying his best to sound optimistic and certain, giving the Dunmer man a falsely cheerful smile. "I'm sure she's missin' you just as much as you miss her."

"She's probably moved on," Teldryn answered, his low, gravelly voice melancholy, twisting his wedding ring aimlessly. "I wonder who she's loving now. I'm guessing we won't be working things out."

* * *

**Hello there! This was initially meant to be a part of one, big long, chunky chapter, but I've decided to break up it up into three sections, make things a little more manageable and easier to read, because otherwise, it was going to be crazy long, like hello. Only a few more chapters to go. :)**

**Scene with Teldryn inspired by: Hello by Schuyler Fisk. Go listen to it on Youtube! **


	45. Touching the Sky

"What will you give me for this?" Teldryn asked the merchant that had just sailed into town, a fat, older Bosmer man, placing his prized Elven sword in the man's hands.

"Hmm, not bad quality. Very nice, very nice. I can give you 200 Septims."

"200 Septims?" Teldryn growled, glaring at the man. "It is worth much, much more than that."

"Oh, that it is, my dear sir," the man replied, handing it back to him with a shrug. "But it is only a simple sword in the end, no enchantments, nothing. I pay handsomely for the rarest, most exquisite of items, and I'm afraid your sword is neither of those things. That ring you have, however…" the Bosmer trailed off, gazing at Teldryn's wedding ring greedily. "That is absolutely splendid. I'd be willing to pay a good amount for that. Several thousand Septims, actually."

Teldryn looked at his ring briefly, letting out a sigh. Work had been scarce, and he was running desperately low on funds. It made no sense for him to keep it, considering he was on the verge of becoming broke and homeless, and it only served as a reminder of what he had lost. He let out another sigh, wondering if he would come to regret this decision later.

"It's not for sale. Apologies."

* * *

After the Scrolls had revealed the location of Auriel's Bow to Indis, it became clear to them that they needed to make haste to its location. Some of Harkon's minions had tracked them down, listening to their conversation that revealed its location; they were attacked by vampires and gargoyles. They dispatched of their foes as quickly as they could, making the long journey immediately, despite fatigue and injury. Currently, they were camped outside of Darkfall Cave, opting to enter once they had some rest.

"I think we'll be fine staying here for the night," Serana said, warming her hands a safe distance from their campfire. "I don't think anyone got away from Ancestor's Glade, so I don't think we were followed, but I do think we shouldn't waste any more time than necessary."

"You're probably right," Indis replied, nodding in agreement. She made to run her fingers through her hair, becoming frustrated when her digits became entangled in her long, knotted, greasy locks. "Serana, would you mind giving me a haircut?"

"Not at all. How short do you want it?" she asked, drawing her sharp Elven dagger.

"Go ahead and make it pretty short. I don't have time to deal with long hair anymore."

"Alright," Serana replied, carefully slicing off chunks of hair, giving her hair a length of only a few short inches. She worked silently for a few minutes before she spoke. "I heard you and Teldryn fighting," she said quietly.

"It was nothing," Indis muttered, angry tears welling up in her eyes, focusing all of her attention on the auburn clumps raining down around her.

"It didn't sound like nothing. Want to talk about it? Not good to bottle those kinds of things up inside, you know."

"I…I guess. Well, you know that Ralof died."

"Yes. I'm sorry about that, by the way. He wasn't my favorite person, but I know he meant a lot to you. What about it?"

"When he came to visit, Teldryn told him to never write or visit again. He…he only told me that he did that the night I found out about Ralof, and that's why I hadn't seen or heard from Ralof," Indis said, beginning to share with Serana what Teldryn had told her.

Serana inhaled sharply, creating a loud hiss as she sucked in air through gritted teeth. "Well, I can certainly see why you're upset. What are you going to do?"

"I don't know," Indis groaned, wringing her hands. "I miss him. I want to forgive him."

"Then what's stopping you? He told you what he did, which was a pretty damn brave thing to do, if you ask me. He was incredibly forgiving and understanding when you admitted you cheated on him with the jarl. Why can't you forgive him? Just think about it. You have time. We need to worry about getting that bow first, though. What do you think?" Serana asked, allowing Indis to inspect her reflection in her dagger.

She ran her fingers through her short hair, enjoying the weightless feel of it. "I like it. Thank you."

"Oh, here, this is to finish everything off," Serana said, using her hands to shape Indis' hair into a tiny little mohawk before grabbing a cool piece of charcoal lying on the ground, dragging it across her face in several places, creating long, black tendrils. "There. Now you look like a force to be reckoned with. Come on, let's get some sleep."

* * *

The two intrepid explorers entered the cave early the following morning, creeping along as quietly as they could, unsure of what they could expect ahead. So far, the cave was quiet, with only the dull roar of a nearby waterfall to break the silence.

"Spiders," Indis whispered, pointing to a nearby thick web. "I hate spiders. I don't see any around, though."

"Let's keep going. If you stand around whispering about them, they'll eventually hear you and come out."

Indis glowered at Serana, passing by the web and the egg sacs with a shudder, stopping once again when she found herself at the foot of a long, narrow, dilapidated bridge. "We can't cross this! Look at that! Planks are missing, so is some rope, it'll just collapse under our weight, and we'll die. We're going to die."

"Quiet. Let's just be careful. We won't die. I promise."

They crossed the bridge, on edge, gripping the remaining rope tighter and tighter after every creak, groan and wobble. After finally making it across, they both let out a massive sigh of relief. The good feelings from making it across quickly dissipated after they realized there was a dead end. After a few minutes of walking around and inspecting their locale to see if there was a secret switch, Serana looked down to the water that was a great distance underneath the bridge. "I think we need to jump down there," she said, pointing to what looked like a small entrance, not giving Indis any time to respond before she leapt into the water, resurfacing after a loud splash.

Indis sighed, jumping down after her, gasping for air after she broke the surface of the water. "What next?"

"I guess we follow this path," Serana replied, beginning to lazily paddle down a narrow hallway. Indis followed, her stomach churning when they reached the next room. Hanging from the ceiling were over a dozen frostbite spiders, all of which were woken up by the sounds they had made. In a mad panic, Indis splashed past Serana, shrieking as the spiders started towards them. She barreled down another pathway, clumsily trying to paddle as quickly as she could, letting out another half shriek, half squeal when she realized there were half a dozen spiders rapidly swimming after her.

* * *

They journeyed further into the cave, Serana taking the lead after the spider fiasco, using the dim, eerie light from the luminescent mushrooms dotting the wall to light their path. After a short time, they stumbled across a camp, with a dead Breton lying face down on the ground.

"Who in the name of Oblivion would want to set up camp here?" she asked, rifling through the dead man's pockets, standing up after she found a note. "I wonder what happened to them," Serana finished after reading the paper, which was a note to the dead man's sister, urging her to escape from the cave.

"Look," Indis said, yanking on a chain behind the man's lean-to. "Think we should take this path? I don't want to end up like this unfortunate fellow right here."

Serana shrugged. "I guess we'll find out if it's the right one to take. Let's go."

* * *

"Who is that?" Indis asked, whispering as she stared at the pale, tall elf in the center of the cavern they had stumbled into. "Think we should go talk to him?"

"I don't see why not," Serana whispered back, eyes focused on the man in the distance. "Keep your guard up, though. I don't know who he is, or if he means us harm."

They approached cautiously, hands and fingers lingering near their weapons, just in case. The man seemed nonplussed by their approach, glancing up at them briefly before carrying on with what he had been doing before. "Come forward," he called out. "You have nothing to fear here. I am Knight Paladin Gelebor, and this is the great Chantry of Auri-El. Welcome."

"Auriel? That would explain the power we felt coming from this thing," Indis replied, gesturing to the object in front of him. "So…is this a temple or shrine to Auriel? What is it?"

"Ahh, there are but so many names for the sovereign of the snow elves," he replied with a sigh.

"Snow elves?" Serana asked incredulously. "Does that mean you're a…"

"Falmer? No, certainly not. I prefer the term snow elf. The word Falmer just has so many negative attachments. Those twisted creatures, I prefer to call the Betrayed."

"Well, it's a pleasure," Indis began, stopping when Gelebor held up a hand to silence her.

"I know why you're here. For Auriel's Bow, of course. Why else would you have come? I can help you obtain what you seek, but first…I need your assistance."

* * *

"Are you alright?" Indis asked, looking at Serana, who was had been unusually quiet.

"I think so. All of this that Gelebor asked us to do, the reasons why…it just…it just resonates with me," she said with a sigh, staring off into the Forgotten Vale, the great Elven ruins they had been directed to. "The part about his brother Vyrther, becoming so twisted and different, becoming someone else. Having to…"

"To kill him? I'm sorry. This must be difficult, reminding you of your father."

"It's what has to be done," the vampire replied sadly, giving a small shrug. "Let's do what we need to do to get into the Chantry, and then we can kill this man, and get the bow."

* * *

Since Gelebor couldn't leave the Wayshrines unguarded, the duty fell to Indis and Serana to fill the jug known as the Initiate's Ewer with the water from all five. The snow elf instructed them to do this, revealing that accomplishing this would allow them to enter the Inner Sanctum of the Forgotton Vale. The elf had told him that his brother was hiding there, no longer the man he knew after being corrupted by the Betrayed.

"Ugh, so many Falmer," Indis grumbled, scooping up water from the last Wayshrine. "Still, I'll take Falmer over spiders any day."

"Really?" Serana asked, taking off down the path towards the Inner Sanctum. "Hurry, we're getting close. Looks like a few of your Falmer friends are up ahead."

* * *

"This is it," Indis breathed out, her breath creating huge cloud of steam, the appreciation and awe for the vast, beautiful structure in front of her evident. The tall, arched stonework was a marvel to behold, and neither could take their eyes off the intricate, beautiful details as they climbed up the steps. "It has to be."

"Look," Serana said, pointing to a large statue up ahead. "I believe that's a statue of Auriel, but it's using an older language. This place must be ancient. I think the basin we have to fill is up ahead."

Indis followed her up the curved, snow-dusted staircase, muscles aching, bones creaking. They had spent several days traversing across the Vale, and she hoped that Arch-Curate Vyrthur didn't prove to be too much of a problem. She dumped the jug of water in the basin, ready to snap with frustration when absolutely nothing happened. Opening her mouth to put some creative curses to use, she stopped when she saw a pale green stream of light beam down in front of the door to the Inner Sanctum. Curious, she walked forward, stepping into the light, sighing with relief as the star-like lock on the door spun open, and the doors swung wide open. The doors were massive and incredibly heavy, and it took Indis and Serana all the effort they could muster to pull one of them open.

Indis cautiously stepped through the open doorway, motioning for Serana to follow when all appeared to be clear. They walked along slowly, stopping in surprise when they came face to face with what appeared to be a frozen Falmer. Carefully stepping past it, they journeyed further, both women feeling incredibly uneasy by the frozen creatures around them.

"Where is he?" Indis whispered.

"I don't know. I see another door over there. Gelebor did say that we'd have to put the Initiate's Ewer on an altar to open another door."

Carefully maneuvering around the icy statues around them, they treaded towards the altar. Indis placed the jug on the altar, flinching when the door grated open. They crept down the hallway that was revealed, stopping in shock after they had pushed open the next door. Before them was what appeared to be a giant, although it was much more different than any giant Indis had ever seen. It was as tall and large as a regular giant, but it had the face and fur of a frost troll, with long, odd horns protruding out of its skull.

After hightailing it out of the chamber with what appeared to be some kind of frost giant, Indis and Serana had taken a short time to rest and regroup. Their minds had been clouded, fogged by sheer exhaustion, and the simple task of placing the Initiate's Ewer on various altars to open and close doors hadn't occurred to them.

Serana slumped down onto a stone bench, leaning her head back to stare at the ceiling. "How long have we been in this damn Vale?"

"No idea," Indis replied, letting out a sigh. They had been journeying for days and days, and as soon as it appeared as the end was in sight, something else for them to do always appeared. She decided that once they finally made it out of that place, assuming they did so; she would spend some time relaxing time with those she loved. Even the thought of seeing Potato cheered her up.

"Have you thought about it more? Are you going to make up with him?"

"I am," Indis replied, reflecting back on how badly she had been missing the companionship of her husband, especially his warmer than usual body temperature, something that would have been more than welcome in the frozen Vale. "If he wants to make up, that is. Come on, we should probably keep moving. Shouldn't tarry for too long."

* * *

Both Indis and Serana were surprised to find Arch-Curate Vyrthur casually slouched in a massive throne surrounded by ice spikes and frozen Falmer, waving at them dismissively upon their arrival.

"Did you honestly think you could come here and claim Auriel's Bow?" he drawled, fixing them with a bored expression. "You have done exactly as I predicted you would, you see, and you even brought your fetching companion to me. Wonderful."

"Wait…what?" Serana whispered, red eyes widening. "Is he talking about me?"

"Which means your usefulness has come to an end, unfortunately, now that I have exactly what I need," Vyrthur continued, waving one dangling leg back and forth. Serana opened her mouth to reply, but her words were quickly drowned out by the sound of frozen foes bursting forth from their icy slumber. Most of those awakened by Vyrthur were chaurus, and Indis hacked and slashed at them with Chillrend, keeping close to Serana. Chaurus weren't particularly difficult foes to defeat, but their poison left a good deal of unpleasant lingering effects. Indis continued to stab, slash and thrust through the hard shells of the insects barreling towards them, uncertain of how much longer she would be able to continue due to tiredness and the poison.

"Cover me," she gasped to Serana, ducking behind a pillar. As Serana blasted spikes of ice at the remaining chaurus, Indis guzzled down potions to heal and cure poison, pleased to see that the floor was covered with dead insects. Their victory was short-lived, however, as a dozen Falmer burst forth from their frozen shells, eager to step in and take the places of the chaurus before them. Indis fumbled for Chillrend, hand falling to the cold sensation of a staff beneath her hands. The Sanguine Rose.

She pulled it out, focusing it on an empty space in the floor, casting it. There was a large, swirling ball of blue light where she cast the Rose, and after a few seconds the light dissipated, revealing a Dremora standing there, sword drawn.

"Brilliant," Indis breathed, rushing forward, joining in the foray. What they had expected to be a difficult battle was short-lived, mainly due to the formidable Dremora on their side, who had cut through foes with one slash of his greatsword.

"Impressive," Vyrthur said, rising from his seat. "This ends now," he bellowed, the ceiling beginning to rumble.

"Move!" Indis shouted, barely managing to duck and roll, grabbing Serana in the process, before the large chunks of stone plummeting towards the floor crushed them. Indis helped Serana up, coughing, eyes searching through the dust, trying to figure out what the odd sound after the ceiling crash had been. Vyrthur had summoned a frost atronach. Indis found herself wishing that Teldryn and his powerful fire-based destruction were there with them, knowing that in her weakened state, she wouldn't be able to summon a flame atronach. She pulled out her bow, choosing to fire arrow after arrow at the blundering atronach, some of them hitting her target, while others fell, not even reaching it. After several minutes of fighting, the atronach had been destroyed and all of the frozen creatures around them lay slain.

"No!" Vyrthur bellowed, his voice filled with panic, a bright golden light swirling around him, large spikes of ice being drawn to the light around him, their sharp, jagged edges pointing outwards. "I won't let you undo centuries of preparation!"

Suddenly, a massive crack echoed throughout the chamber as the ice spikes burst forth, shot forward by an astounding burst of energy. There was a blinding flash of light as the force surrounding Vyrthur was released and Indis crumpled to the ground, grabbing out, trying to find something to hold onto as her vision went white.

She lay on the floor, the heavy, tiresome motion of blinking almost too much for her. Her heart thudded in her chest, and the sound of blood rushing to her ears was all she could hear. Suddenly, she felt a gentle touch on her arm and she raised her weary head, surprised to see Serana still standing.

"Are you alright? Come on, we can do this. I know we can," the vampire said with conviction, helping Indis to her feet, dragging the Imperial towards the snow elf on the balcony.

* * *

Indis held onto Serana, barely conscious as her friend dragged her out onto the balcony.

"Enough, Vyrthur," Serana said forcefully, glaring at the man. "Give us the bow."

"How…how dare you do this to me! I was the Arch-Curate of Auri-El, girl! I had the ears of a god!"

"Until the betrayed corrupted you, yes, yes. We've heard this sad story before," she replied, waving her hand dismissively at him.

"My brother is an easily corrupted fool. Look into my eyes, Serana. Tell me what I am."

She stepped forward, curiously inspecting him with an intense gaze. "You're…you're a vampire. But Auri-El should have protected you!"

"I was infected by one of my own damn initiates. The moment that happened, Auri-El turned his back on me, and I swore revenge.

"You want revenge on a god?" Serana asked, giving an incredulous laugh.

"His influence extends to this world, more than you might think," Vythur gasped, clutching at his wounded shoulder. "All I needed was his bow and the blood of a vampire.

"You did this. You…you created the prophecy!"

"I was missing one final ingredient, until you came along. The purest vampiric blood. The blood of a Daughter of Coldharbour."

Indis watched from her slumped location leaning on the balcony as Serena stepped forward, grabbing the elf by the neck with both hands, raising him in the air. "All this time…you were just waiting for someone with my blood to come along. Well, too bad," she snapped, tightening her grip. "I'm keeping it. Let's see if yours has any power left to it."

* * *

They trudged down the stairs of the balcony, both exhausted and silent after the battle with Vyrthur and after gallivanting across the damn Vale in search of the Wayshrines, which were impressively inconveniently distanced from one another. The Arch-Curate himself hadn't proved to be much of an issue, falling dead after a few of Serana's ice spikes penetrated his body. Indis even had enough fight in her for a few swings of Chillrend, and her weak slashing even seemed to have an effect on him.

"That was impressive," Indis mumbled, delirious from fatigue. "I didn't know you were that strong. Weird, considering how little your arms are."

"Hush," Serana replied, pointing to Gelebor, who was waiting for them.

"So, the deed is done, then," he said upon their approach, a faint hint of sadness in his voice. "The Wayshrine is restored completely, meaning that he must be dead, and the control the Betrayed had over him is no more."

"The Betrayed weren't to blame. He was a vampire."

"Indeed? Truly? Well, that certainly explains a lot," he replied, relief flooding his voice. "It makes me glad, though, to know that the betrayed weren't to blame. I hope that one day, they can shed their hatred, and come to know Auri-El once more. But enough of that. The Bow. You've done everything to obtain the bow, and you restored the Chantry in the process," Gelebor continued with a smile, presenting the bow to Indis. "If you wish for me to make sunhallowed arrows, or if you have questions to ask of me, please do not hesitate. I cannot thank you enough."

Indis stared at the Bow in her hands, scarcely able to believe that they had finally gotten what they had worked so hard for.

"I suppose," Serana began, still holding Indis upright, eyes focusing on the weapon in Indis' hands. "That we should return to Fort Dawnguard and tell everyone that…that the time to face my father has finally come."

* * *

Since returning to Solstheim, Teldryn had taken as many odd jobs as he possibly could in Raven Rock to pass the time and keep his mind off Indis. He gave a simple knock on the room in the Retching Netch that his most recent employer, a rather lovely young woman who had asked him to retrieve some ridiculous vase, an heirloom stolen by Reavers, was waiting in. The door swung open, and the woman looked at him rather expectantly, beckoning to come inside.

"Here it is," Teldryn said, depositing the vase on the end table in the room. "My payment now, as you promised." His employer had only agreed to pay him provided he brought back the vase undamaged; telling him that he would get the full amount once the task was completed.

She pulled out a large coin purse and clutched it in her hand, and smiled as Teldryn reached out his hand, waiting for her to give it to him. The woman pulled back her hand abruptly, biting her lip seductively. "There is one more thing you have to do for me, and then you'll get your gold, handsome," she said her voice husky and low as she tugged the neckline of her dress downwards. She laid down on the bed, patting the empty spot next to her.

"I'm married," he said, tapping the ring on his index finger.

"Oh, are you now?" she replied disinterestedly, beginning to unbutton her dress. "I don't see your wife here. I promise I won't tell her."

"I'm not interested. I'm faithful to my wife."

"Fuck me, or you won't get your gold," she snapped, growing frustrated.

He shrugged. "Then I won't be getting my gold," Teldryn said, slamming the door behind him on his way out.


	46. Following Through to the End

Castle Volkihar; a place Indis had hoped she would never set foot in again. Yet, here they were, standing outside at the edge of the island, the entire Dawnguard huddled together in the blistering cold, waiting for Isran's instructions.

"This is it, men," Isran bellowed, rubbing his hands together for warmth. "I'm betting that we're going to be in for the fight of our lives, so it wouldn't do to go in there without a plan. For far too long, we've allowed these foul beasts to poison the night, to kill our people! It is time, then, that we put an end to this unholy prophecy. We have Auriel's Bow, which means that the gods themselves have favored us. This is our fight, this is our fate. It is the time of the Dawnguard!"

"Wh-what are we supposed to do?" asked a wide-eyed and nervous Agmaer, shivering slightly.

"Our main target is Harkon, but we're going to have to contend with all of his minions as well, am I right?" Isran asked, turning to Serana, who nodded. "Indis has the bow and the sunhallowed arrows, so she's going to be the one to take down Harkon. Serana will be with her. We need to help them find a clear path to Harkon, fight off these monsters so they can get to where they need to go. Understand?"

All nodded, and Indis turned to survey her comrades, inspecting their grim, solemn faces, knowing that this may be the last time she saw some of them.

"Are you ready?" Serana asked quietly, catching up to Indis as they followed Isran towards the castle entrance.

"I think so. How are you feeling?

"I'm…I'm alright, I think. I'm ready to get this over with. Let's…let's do this."

* * *

Indis wiped the sweat from her brow as she watched Serana pull a chain, the gate to the cathedral of Castle Volkihar grinding open. They stepped through cautiously, wary as they looked around the confined space, surprised to see Harkon standing in the middle, arms crossed as he watched them.

"Ahh, Serana. So you've finally returned. Is your…pet keeping you entertained?" he asked, his deep voice echoing against the stone, orange-red eyes fixing them with an intense gaze.

"You know why we're here," Serana replied, stopping a good distance away from her father.

"Well, of course I do," he said, waving a hand dismissively. "I'm no fool. I'm incredibly disappointed, though. You have taken everything I've done for you, everything I've worked so hard for, and you've thrown it away for this…this pathetic mortal," Harkon spat, glaring at Indis.

"Provided for me?" Serana hissed, voice rising. "Are you insane? You've…you've destroyed our family. You've killed other vampires. For what? All over some vague prophecy that we barely understand. No…no more. I'm done with you. You won't touch Indis."

"So, this dragon has fangs. Your voice drips with the venom of your mother's corruption. You've become so very much like her."

"No…" Serana began, her voice strong and convicted. "Because unlike her, I'm not afraid of you. Not anymore."

Harkon turned to Indis, focusing his attention on the one mortal in the room. "And you…" he started, eyes narrowing, letting out a small sigh. "It appears you're the one I should be thanking for turning my daughter against me. I knew that it was only a matter of time before she returned with such hatred in her heart."

"Hatred born of your neglect," Indis spat, tightening her grip on the bow.

He shrugged. "It is a small price to pay for the betterment of our kind."

"Your kind? Your kind is a blight on this world."

"Are we? Ahh, such a noble vampire hunter. Impressive. What happens next? Will Serana be the next to fall? Valerica?"

"I would _never_ harm Serana. She means far too much to me."

Harkon sighed, turning away from them, walking towards the back of the cathedral. "Then it appears my daughter is truly lost, then. She died the moment she accepted a mortal into her life."

"Enough!" Serana shouted, magic forming and flickering in her hands. "We're here to end this."

"Yes, I was growing tired of this anyway. Hand over the bow, now. There will be now second chances."

"Never," Indis hissed, pulling a sunhallowed arrow out of her quiver.

"Very well, then. You leave me no choice!" he bellowed, morphing, turning into the creature he had become upon Indis' first visit when he was trying to convince her to accept the gift of his blood. The sound of stone bursting, shattering into pieces around them momentarily drew their attention away from Harkon, and they both let out an involuntary groan when they realized they were now surrounded by skeletons and gargoyles, all of which were rapidly advancing on them.

"I'll try to keep them back," Serana gasped, the crack of spikes of ice meeting with the body of a gargoyles drowning out her words. "You have the bow, focus on my father!"

Indis nodded and stepped away, taking aim at Harkon, thankful for the clear shot. She released the arrow, certain he would not be able to move in time when all of a sudden he burst into a colony of tiny, black bats, reappearing on a balcony overhead. Her arrow hit the back wall of the cathedral and Indis cursed out loud. She only had two dozen arrows, and she couldn't afford for any of them to go to waste.

Harkon paused to laugh, to take delight in outwitting her, looking down at them from above. Indis took this opportunity to fire another arrow, pleased when the arrow made contact with his body, a large burst of golden sunlight enveloping him in a small, fiery sunburst. He cried out in pain, and Indis fumbled for her quiver, rapidly firing another one, doing her best to ignoring the sounds of Serana's battle behind her. Harkon burst into another small, fluttering group of bats, reappearing by the fountain. He was obviously weak, dying, and he began to drink, a glowing, protective shield forming around him.

"The bow!" screamed Serana, the urgency in her voice shocking Indis. "He's weak, and the bow is the only thing that can hurt him, I'm covering you! Now, now!"

Indis grabbed an arrow, firing it as quickly as she could, giving a sigh of relief when it pierced through the barrier. Harkon collapsed to the floor, clawed hands grasping at the stone fountain, trying to pull himself up to feed on the life-restoring blood that poured from it. Indis advanced on him, taking aim again, drawing the bowstring as far back as she possibly could, releasing the final arrow.

It hit Harkon in the back, and he fell to the stone floor, gasping and gurgling, his final words quiet.

"Serana…your own father…"

Serana ran up to the fountain, staring at the pile of blood that had once been her father, her face impassive. Indis turned at the sound of footsteps, giving a nod to Isran as he approached. "It's done," she replied simply, pointing towards the mess on the floor. "Harkon has been defeated. And…out there?"

"We lost Durak to those foul creatures. Died saving Agmaer," he replied, his voice dull as he approached Serana.

"It's over," she whispered. "It's…it's finally over."

"How are you?" Isran asked, his voice surprisingly gentle as he placed a hand on Serana's shoulder. "I know this must be difficult for you. He was your father, after all. Are you alright?"

"I…I think so. I just need to give it time," Serana said, giving him a weak smile. "I just…I can't believe that it's over."

* * *

"Well, what's next? Ready to explore some more tombs and ruins?" Indis asked, turning to face Serana, the frozen ground outside the castle crunching underneath their feet.

"Actually, I think I'm going to stay here," Serana replied, gesturing to the formidable castle behind her. "I think I'm going to go to the Soul Cairn, get my mother. Tell her that it's finally safe. That we can…we can come home. I want to spend time with her and try to restore our relationship. I'll be here for a while."

"Oh," Indis replied, her face falling. "Well, maybe I'll come visit sometime soon."

"I hope you do," Serana said with a smile, embracing her friend. "Good luck out there. I hope to see you soon."

* * *

Teldryn made his way up to the upper level of the Retching Netch, ready for yet another unsuccessful day of business slouched in his usual chair. As soon as he had made it to the top, he noticed that there was someone sitting in his chair, their head down, reading the book in their lap. They had a short little mohawk of their own, and they reached up to scratch the dark black war paint on their face. Scowling, he made his way over, clearing his throat, crossing his arms as he towered over them menacingly.

"I don't know if you're aware of this outlander, but this is my place," he growled.

"Oh, I know. That's why I chose it," the outlander replied, snapping their book shut before looking up at him with a smile.

It was her. He had to be dreaming.

"Indis?" he asked, resisting the urge to rush over to her. "It's…it's been a while."

"It has," she replied awkwardly, scratching the back of her neck, avoiding his eyes. "Harkon is dead now. It's over. Finally over…" Indis trailed off, mustering up courage before she continued, hoping that she could do what she came there to do.

"I know you're probably surprised to see me," she began awkwardly, reaching up to tug her hair, a habit leftover from when her locks where longer. "You're probably not too happy either, given how I treated you last time we saw each other. I just came here to say that I'm…I'm sorry."

"I'm sure it's hard to see me, and…I'm sure you're not going to believe a word I say. I'm the one who should be sorry," Teldryn whispered, pulling her up so that she was standing close to him, ignoring the curious stares of those nearby. "I had no right to do what I did, telling Ralof to stay away like that. I trust you, completely, and I'm sorry that you lost the chance to say goodbye. What I did was unjustifiable and inexcusable, and I certainly don't expect your forgiveness."

"Teldryn, I forgive you. It was difficult to get over it at first, but I've…I've moved on from it. I've been thinking a lot. It's over now. I forgive you. I miss you. Please, come home."

* * *

**One more chapter! :D**


	47. A New Beginning

"What? What do you mean she's pregnant?" Stenvar asked, looking up at Teldryn in surprise, eyebrows raised. "How far along?"

"Not far, I don't think," Teldryn replied, taking a sip of mead, joining Stenvar on the bench outside. "Although I will admit, as a man, I don't have a great deal of familiarity with these things."

"Neither do I. How is Indis doing? What about Aventus? How does he feel about all of this?"

"Indis? Well, she's incredibly jealous of Potato, if that's what you're asking. She's furious that damn spider is pregnant and she's not, and she's not looking forward to even more of those wretched little things running around. Don't tell her I said any of that, though. Aventus, however, is absolutely thrilled. He's already picked out names, choosing to keep with the food theme. Leek, Garlic and Butters."

"You've got a weird kid. Funny, I didn't even know Potato was female," Stenvar said, laughing.

"Weird doesn't even begin to cover it. As far as Potato being female, neither did I. A bit of an unpleasant surprise. I'd better go find Indis. We're supposed to leave for Riverwood and Whiterun soon."

* * *

It had been five months since the defeat of Harkon, and Indis and Teldryn had settled comfortably into their home in Falkreath, adjusting to a calmer, quieter life. They had still been trying rather unsuccessfully to start their own family, and their continuous failure had become a constant source of strain. She had confided in Gerdur during one of their visits to Riverwood, who suggested she speak to Hilde, that she might have the solution they needed.

Teldryn stood by uncomfortably; uncertain as to what he should be doing as Hilde inspected his wife, so he sat down at a table, averting his eyes, stacking a few cups and tankards to build an awkward, cumbersome tower. Hilde finished her examination, placing her hands on her hips as she stared at Indis before speaking.

"Well, nothing's wrong with you, everything appears to be working just fine. And you say you've been using charms and potions?"

Indis nodded, sitting up. "Do you know what the problem is?"

The old woman shook her head. "No, everything appears to be fine. However, I do have something, my own special concoction that will help. Let me make it, and I'll be right back," she said, hobbling into another room, return after a short time with a bottle in her hands.

"This is my own special recipe. I've only shared it with Hafjorg in Riften," Hilde said, gnarled hands holding out a small bottle. "It's guaranteed to work."

* * *

"Supplies first. After that, I need to go speak with the jarl," Indis said, stopping next to Teldryn in front of Carlotta's produce stand. "I'll meet you back out here after that, and we can decide whether or not we want to stay in Breezehome tonight or make the journey back to Lakeview."

"I'll go to Belethor's," he replied, giving her a quick kiss on her forehead. "I know you aren't too fond of that slimy little man. I'll be waiting out here."

She watched him leave, turning back to the vegetables before her, inspecting them when she felt the slightest, most gentle of tugs at her back. Indis whipped around, grabbing the arm of the young Imperial woman with her hands on Indis' coin purse.

"A pickpocket? You were trying to pickpocket me?" Indis asked incredulously, staring into the raven-haired thief's eyes, surprising the woman when she broke into laughter. "Oh, that is brilliant! And you almost did, too. That's what I get for letting my guard down. This, oh, this is fantastic."

The woman tried to back away, staring at up and Indis in surprise. "You seem excited. That's odd."

Indis shrugged. "I'm an odd sort of person. What are you doing here? Your talents would be best put to use in Riften, in the Thieves Guild."

The woman scowled at her. "You don't think I did that? I tried. The Guild has become quite…selective in their recruiting."

Letting out a sigh, Indis reflected back on the last batch of useless recruits that Brynjolf had brought her. They were all incredibly young pretty women, and none of them had been worth anything, either quitting, getting caught, or getting themselves killed. "Try again. Tell him that Indis sent you. Now, go. I hope to see you in the Flagon."

Indis watched the girl run off, shaking her head slightly, laughing to herself, muttering out loud to herself as she paid Carlotta and set off towards Dragonsreach. "I love Whiterun."

* * *

Indis had been directed to the jarl's private quarters in Dragonsreach, and she had slowly trudged there, wondering what Balgruuf response to her decisions to stay with Teldryn would be. When Indis had told Ralof of her decision to make her marriage work, she hadn't felt any conflicting emotions. No desire to kiss him, no desire to change her mind and be with him, no desire for him period. He had seemed happy for her, wishing her the best, and had told her that he hoped they could still be friends. She found herself hoping that Balgruuf's reaction would be the same as Ralof's, and they could maintain a professional relationship.

The wood floors creaked underneath her feet, and Balgruuf looked up at her from his desk, tossed aside his quill, rose from his chair, closing the distance between them before she could even speak, he had pulled her into his arms, engaging her in a searing kiss.

He pulled back briefly, pausing to look at her, the corners of his lips pulling upwards into a smile. "You're back! You're finally back! Does that mean? Are you…? Are we able to finally be together?" Balgruuf asked, kissing her again before she could respond.

"Actually, there's something I need to tell you," she said, wriggling out of his arms, taking a few steps back. "Teldryn and I are staying together. We're not separating."

He frowned, looking down as he mused over her words, trying to think of a response. "No," he finally said, reaching out and grabbing her hand, pulling her back towards him. "Why?"

She shrugged. "We…we get along fine. We're going to try and make it work. He's a good man. I like him. I might even…"

"Does he make you feel like this? Do you love him?" Balgruuf whispered, pulling her flush against him, leaning in close, the faint touch of his lips on her throat sending a shiver down her spine. She wanted to pull away, to honor her commitment to Teldryn, but the jarl and the way he was making her feel was making that more and more difficult. He gently cupped her face in his hands, his bright blue eyes watching her intently. "Do you love me?"

"Balgruuf, I—" she began, but was cut off by the sound of the doors to the jarl's quarters being thrown open. She stepped back several feet away from him, turning towards the direction of the noise. It was a very flustered and out of breath Irileth, and she gave Indis a hasty smile and nod as she approached.

"My jarl, there's a dragon attacking the Western Watchtower. I need to take men, now," she said, trying to catch her breath.

"I'll come," Indis replied quickly, thanking the Divines for the second dragon to diffuse an uncomfortable and unpleasant situation. "You know, since I have experience."

"I thought you just ran from the dragon in Helgen?" Balgruuf asked curiously, cocking his head at her.

"Well, yes. I did run from that one. But I did fight another, in the Soul Cairn. I'll go with Irileth now."

* * *

After grabbing Teldryn, who was meandering aimlessly throughout the marketplace, Indis, Irileth, Teldyrn, and a small group of guards hastily made their way to the Western Watchtower. They maintained a steady jog the entire way, eyes watching the road and the skies for any sign of the beast they were supposed to slaughter. The crumbling watchtower appeared a short time later, a small speck of a ruin that grew upon their approach.

"Where," Irileth breathed, placing her hands on her hips. "Is the damn thing?"

As if it had heard her inquiry, an unearthly roar echoed across the skies, and Indis felt her stomach twist and churn with nervousness. _A dragon, right. You've fought a dragon before, and you defeated it. You can do this…again._

The dragon burst forth into the sky, circling the watchtower, letting out another mighty roar as it landed with a crash on the top of the tower. The guards on the ground began nervously shouting and fumbling, trembling, nervous hands seeking their simple longbows, firing at the beast looking down at them.

"_YOL!"_ it bellowed, a huge flame bursting forth from its mouth, licking out towards the guards on the ground. A guard was set aflame, throwing aside his bow, hands fruitlessly trying to pat away the flames that were engulfing his entire body. After a few seconds of agonized, pained screaming, he crumpled to the ground, his body a charred mess.

Indis gulped, still staring at the dragon, thinking that perhaps nobody would miss her if she took off running for safety. Suddenly, she felt someone grab at her arm.

"What are you doing? Fight!" yelled a guard, taking off towards the tower.

Snapping to, she grabbed her bow, shaking hands readying an arrow, thankful that there were roughly a dozen guards in addition to Irileth and Teldryn that were fighting alongside her. The dragon took off in flight, green-grey wings beating slowly, sending gusts of air downwards towards them.

"_Krif krin. Pruzah!" _the dragon called out, it's deep voice filled with amusement, looking down at them as it circled ahead, shooting out more jets of fire towards the plains below.

Indis readied an Elven arrow in Auriel's Bow, her weapon of choice since obtaining it in the Forgotten Vale. She took a deep breath, ignoring the frantic shouts of the nearby guards, drowning out every distraction, following the dragon with her eyes. She fired her arrow, praying that it hit the dragon. It was still circling overhead, and the bright midday sun was making it difficult to not squint.

"_Brit grah. I had forgotten what fine sport you mortals can provide!"_ the beast thundered, landing on the ground near the tower with a crash, massive jaws snapping up a nearby guard, blood dripping from its snout as the man was devoured, causing all those nearby to instinctively shudder from the snap and crunch of breaking bones.

The grace that the dragon had exhibited in flight had completely vanished once it landed; it blundered forward towards their group, wings awkwardly splayed out to either side, large, clawed feet slipping on the dirt underneath, trying to seek purchase on the ground below. Those remaining peppered the slowing beast with arrows, feeling their spirits rise as the dragon began to move slower, its movements becoming weaker and clumsier, still trying to snap at them with its jaws. After another volley of arrows, the dragon gave a shuddering sigh and collapsed to the ground, its final words echoing through the air.

"_Dovahkiin! No…"_

All watched in anticipation, hands still tightly gripping weapons, just in case the creature was feigning its death. After a few seconds of standing by and curious mumblings, someone finally called out.

"Is it dead? Is it truly dead?"

Everyone nervously approached, the only sound the crunch of dirt and gravel underneath their feet as they closed the distance. Indis followed suit, placing her bow on her back, curiously gazing at the dead animal before her. It wasn't as large as Durnehviir, but it was still quite formidable, with its massive wings still outstretched, the sun glinting off of the green-grey scales that covered its body. As she drew closer, something odd began to happen.

The dragon's body began to glow, a golden light radiating from it as it seemed to crackle and burst into a delicate flame, scales transforming into paper-thin, delicate flakes that floated upwards, crackling before they vanished into thin air. The golden fire that had consumed the slain dragon swirled towards Indis, enveloping her in a bright blue light that whipped around her, before settling into her body, merging with her as one. She gasped, a sound not heard over the noise, as images penetrated her mind. What she was seeing was bright, vivid, almost as though she was there, experiencing it for herself. For a few, brief seconds, she was Mirmulnir, an ancient beast left alive by the Blades, soaring through the bright, clear skies of Tamriel, content with the gentle touch of the sun and the wind, content after devouring an elk. Mirmulnir's favorite.

She stumbled backwards, finally rejoining reality, surprised to see guards surrounding her, their mouths agape.

"You," gasped one, reaching forward to grab her arm. "You're the Dragonborn! You are! You absorbed that dragon's soul!"

"What is this nonsense?" snapped Irileth, obviously ready to get back to Whiterun.

"I think there's some mistake, see, err, Vorek over there was the one who…" she mumbled, pointing at a guard she actually knew the name of.

"No, no!" insisted the first guard who spoke. "It was you! You're Dragonborn. Shout for us!"

"Do what?" she replied, blinking at him. "You want me to…Shout?" _If you don't shut up about this, I certainly will shout at you. Gladly._

"Shout. Use the voice. All Dragonborns are supposed to be able to do it, with no training even. Here, try on me," he said, puffing out his chest, standing in front of her.

She bit her lip, trying to figure out what in the blazes he meant when a single, small word came to her mind. The one that she had learned in Bleak Falls Barrow, pushing it back, figuring she had no use for it. Taking a breath, she decided to give it a try.

"_FUS!"_ she shouted, incredibly surprised by the force behind the word, the sensation of raw power burning in her throat, watching as the guard tumbled backwards, knocked down by a large wave of force.

"You…you are…" gasped a female guard, who looked as though she was about to continue, at least until Irileth stepped in.

"Enough of this. We need to get back to Whiterun and report to Jarl Balgruuf. You," she said, pointing one long, slender grey finger at Indis. "Are coming with me."

* * *

Indis was dragged back up to Dragonsreach by Irileth, who demanded that _she_ be the one to let Jarl Balgruuf know exactly what happened at the Western Watchtower. Irileth shoved opened one of the large, ornate doors that led to the jarl's residence with one hand, keeping a firm grip on Indis with the other. Teldryn and the small detachment of guards that had survived followed close behind.

"Well? Is it…" Balgruuf asked upon their approach, leaning forward in his throne.

Irileth nudged Indis forward, who stood there silently before giving him an awkward, uncomfortable smile. "We killed a dragon. That's it. Nothing else, really."

"I think you're leaving something out," Irileth interjected, her deep voice stern.

Balgruuf raised an eyebrow, patiently waiting for Indis to continue. "Err," she began, twisting her hands together. "This thing happened…"

"She absorbed its soul! We were right there, we saw it! Then we even had her Shout for us, and she could! She can use the voice!" interrupted an excited guard, who practically jumping up and down as he clutched his warhammer, his voice full of giddiness. "She's the Dragonborn!" he said, pointing a finger at none other than Indis.

"I don't think I am…probably just a big misunderstanding, the whole Shouting thing was probably luck…"

"Dragonborn?" Balgruuf gasped, his face breaking into a smile. "I heard the summonings of the Greybeards. Surely you heard it too? You must go to High Hrothgar, see what they want of you. I went there when I was a younger man to learn the ways of the voice, but it was not meant to be. Ahh, how I envy you."

_Envy me? Then by all means, take my place. I don't mind_, she thought to herself, using every last bit of willpower to not run out of Dragonsreach screaming. "I…suppose I should do that, then," Indis replied tersely, giving him a small nod. "I'll, err, I'll be going then."

Balgruuf nodded, giving her a sad smile. "That would be wise. Safe journey."

* * *

Indis had just exited the city of Whiterun, tiny feet stomping angrily down the cobbled path towards the main road. Teldryn was following close behind, surprisingly silent, given everything he had just witnessed.

"Well, look at you," he drawled. "You're like a giant soul gem, aren't you?"

"I am not a giant soul gem, I am nothing. This is all ridiculous. It's a mistake," she sputtered, tears threatening to spill over as she thought of all of their plans; plans that likely wouldn't be happening now. She turned on the main road, heading north towards the Pale.

"High Hrothgar is that direction," Teldryn said, stopping on the road, pointing the opposite direction from which she was headed.

"I know. That's exactly what we're going this way."

**END OF PART ONE**

* * *

**It is done, beautiful peoples! Part one has finally come to a close. If you want to hang around Indis some more, the first chapter of part 2, Ascension is up. Thanks SO much to all of you who read all of this, left your love and your commentary, and hung around to the very end. You are deserving of cheese and sweetrolls! I hope you enjoy Ascension as well, which can be found on my profile. :)**


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